I don’t even know where to begin. As cheesy as it sounds, our stay at Francesca’s place was absolutely magical. Located on a quieter canal with only the sounds of passing gondoliers and a handful of people passing by every few minutes on the nearby footbridge, it’s a total oasis from Venice’s more crowded touristy areas. Only a few blocks from St. Mark’s Square, you’d never know it from the apartment’s tranquil surroundings. It’s near a few fantastic grocery stores and I urge anyone staying here to check them out. Our best meals were the ones we had on the gorgeous patio listening to singing gondoliers and enjoying the peace. As far as amenities, Francesca thought of literally everything. We effortlessly cooked and cleaned up after ourselves, it was like being at home, all within easy reach. In regard to responsiveness, we only have high praise. We had a very minor issue with the hot water somehow shutting off (likely our own fault!) and within just a few texts with Francesca we had it fixed in minutes. Above all, the apartment is beautiful. Clean, lovely furnishings, the balcony overlooking the canal and the patio are full of pretty plants, we were heartbroken to check out and the zillion photos we took won’t be enough to make us feel better about leaving. We simply can’t rave about this place enough and if it can’t be a secret gem for only our family, I’ll happily sing its praises for others considering a place to stay in beautiful Venice. You definitely won’t regret your stay.