What a find! Gianni took fantastic care of us -- even when we missed our appointed wrong vaporetto stop (we didn’t move quickly enough to get off the boat), Gianni told us to sit tight and he came to meet us, helping us carry luggage over the Rialto bridge and through the tourist mob to his tucked-away gem of an apartment. And this place is a gem! Clean and well-stocked, it is also full of character, from the 200 year-old stone floors to the window shutters to the soaring ceilings.
There are great restaurants and cappuccino spots within walking distance, but the residence itself is in a quiet, clean street. After a quick check-in, Gianni actually took a few extra moments to show us around the neighborhood, pointing out which eating establishments provided delicious, authentic means, and which establishments we should avoid. As if all of that were not enough, Gianni was generous enough to help us on our way home. We had an early morning flight out of Venice, but Gianni still got up to walk us to the vaporetto stop and wrote out all the directions we'd need for transfers and timing. Mille grazie, Gianni. We hope to see you again soon.