Natale (Nino) is a great host and his place is very comfy and clean. Nino is very personable and an all-around pretty chill guy. He gave us very good recommendations on where to eat like a local and avoid tourist traps. Our cozy stay in Nino's apartment, along with the great food, excellent weather and beautiful historic sites made our trip a very memorable one.
My wife and I made the mistake of visiting St. Mark's Square on a Saturday afternoon. It was packed with people. We just wanted to check on Sunday's mass times at St. Mark's Basilica. Once we found out mass times (earliest was at 7am and it was beautiful!), we returned Sunday early morning at 6am to take photos and we pretty much had the square all to ourselves and maybe a dozen other people walking around.
That's the beauty of staying at Nino's place. You can get up early in the morning to visit historic sites and avoid the flock of crowds coming in from mainland or any other tourist sleeping in and really enjoy this beautiful place. You don't have to waste time (and money!) taking a boat from the mainland, along with dozens of other tourists and local working folks.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BOOKING EARLY AND STAYING AT NINO'S PLACE!!!