We were absolutely delighted with Marcello's apartment so perfectly situated for enjoying all of Venice. He was ill, but sent a fine representative to meet us, a lovely young woman who was there to greet us upon arrival---no problems with being given keys and introduced to the house. Basic breakfast supplies were even left for us, and all we had to buy was the coffee for the percolator (though in fact we would indulge in the neighborhood cafes and bakery shops!), but that was an especially kind gesture. Marcello checked in during the week to make sure we were fine, as we were (better than fine!), and the apartment truly did have everything we could need. The middle floor was were we chose to nest, spread our things and enjoy the breezes from the adjacent church's small interior courtyard. It had a desk/computer nook, a TV (which we never turned on), a double bed, and was decorated in a sort of fun, homey, and personal way that made you feel you were living in Venice, not some anonymous place. The bottom floor has the bathroom and kitchen. The top floor is only another bedroom, just that, with much less character but certainly very usable. In other words, this is a wonderful place in Venice, a sort of spreading upward (as Venice does) of a home into three layers. We loved that and hated leaving. We vowed to return and hope that Marcello will still be renting his apartment when we do. The location is what is also so special. The Vaporetto stops right in front of the church of S.Stae. The apartment is literally right behind that church, so there are no bridges over which to struggle with luggage as almost everywhere else except something like five-star hotels on the Grand Canal. It is steps to a very good local restaurant, and a few more steps to two more. The same for a gelato shop and three bakeries. The Rialto Market is a 5-10 minute easy walk. This is away from all of the floods of tourists, in the St. Croce neighborhood of Venetians, and nothing could be better than that fact. But with easy access to the vaporetto or an easy walk to the Rialto Bridge you can get anywhere. There is also the wonderful day walk through the lower side of Venice, the belly of the fish (the shape of Venice) to the Dorsodoro area and its museums, crossing back over the Accademia Bridge through the heart of Venice's center to the Rialto bridge again, an ideal circle of walking (and being lost, the best of all, for you can never get entirely lost or you'd fall into the canals). My point is, this location is the best of four we've had on Venice trips. We loved it. No words of criticism, though it is good to be aware that the bathroom is on a different floor than the bedrooms, a short staircase away only though.