My husband and I spent 2 nights at Paolo's lovely apartment. If you're looking for a simple, non-touristy base to explore Venice by foot - this is it!
Everything about the apartment is all about keeping it simple. We had everything we needed from a well-stocked kitchen to a simple, functional bathroom and soaps, and easy-to-use laundry facilities. The building itself is old, but then again, so is the city of Venice by a few hundred years! It's in a quieter part of the neighbourhood where you really feel like you're living amongst locals.
Paolo's friend Silvia was brilliant in helping us get settled in at our early check-in, plus gave us a few tips and favourite places to eat as a homegrown local herself. The place is right around the corner from the quieter side of the Grand Canal - which means much fewer tourists and more local restaurants and bakeries on this side of the city. The main tourist areas, like Piazza San Marco, are a 15-20 min scenic walk away - we really enjoyed exploring all the little canals and bridges.
Communication was brilliant from Paolo via message and email from start to finish - plus once you check in with his very detailed instructions, you even get a booklet of Paolo's tips with all the information you need for a top notch holiday in Venice. All in all, a great stay - grazie!