We had a wonderful time in Venice! The apartment is situated in a beautiful part of town, which has its own 'real' Venetian community. The bars, restaurants and supermarket on Via Garibaldi are moments away from the apartment, while Piazza San Marco is only a 10 minute walk away.
We took a tour with Danilo on the second day of our stay, which was an unforgettable experience. Danilo is Giovanna's father-in-law and is about as Venetian as you can get. Born and bred in sestiere of Castello, he worked as a gondolier for many years and now offers tours of authentic Venice. During our four-hour walk with him, we watched an artisan oar-maker at work, ate a cake in the best pasticceria in Venice, sampled cicchetti and un'ombra while surrounded by locals, saw 'secret' parts of the city away from the usual tourist trail and listened to countless fascinating anecdotes and facts. It was totally brilliant!
Giovanna was also a fantastic hostess. She provided lots of really useful information - including a couple of great restaurant tips (Corte Sconta and Da Remigio) - and was always on hand to answer any queries.
We loved staying at the apartment. It really is as gorgeous as in the pictures and is furnished to a very high standard. It is also spotless! We will definitely stay here again next time we are in Venice and will be recommending it to friends and family.