There simply cannot be a better place to stay in Venice! Maria's lovely flat is located directly on a beautiful canal in one of Venice's most charming neighborhoods. Ok, I know, all of Venice's canals and neighborhoods are beautiful and charming, but we saw them ALL and we didn't see anyplace we liked better. Three of the flat's windows overlook the canal (all the way to its entrance on the Grand Canal) and the the kitchen window looks into the Ca' Rezzonico garden. It was delightful to watch (from the window) how the Campo San Barnaba came to life every morning: Cafés bringing out tables, chairs, and umbrellas to start breakfast; vegetable and fruit stands getting restocked from the barges that were carefully squeezing their way down the canal; and lively refuse collectors tossing the previous day's waste into specialize garbage boats. It was the real Venetian Venice, not just the touristy bits! Of course, like all of Venice, the Campo fills with tourists during the day, but the mornings and evenings belong just to the locals.
The flat is comfortable, clean, and filled with all modern conveniences. Maria leaves it stocked with food for breakfast and other treats. Her Nespresso machine offers an espresso or macchiato at any time of the day, and she even chills an Italian beer and a small bottle of Prosecco in the fridge just to get you started on your Venetian holiday.
We were sorry to not meet Maria personally as she was out of town, but her friend and substitute hostess, Anna Merci (who met us at the boat and checked us in), was super helpful throughout our stay. Plus, Maria was available at all time via text.
We were very sorry that we hadn't booked more days to stay in Venice, but we will surely return to Maria's canal-side flat in the future. Thank you Maria and Anna Merci!
Scott and Jomana
August 2017