Views on Venice was founded in the late 1990’s when the concept of short term apartment rentals was in its infancy and rarely considered an option by most visitors to the city. As a ‘thirty-something’ Venetian excited by the new business and communication opportunities offered by the internet, I decided to link up with a close childhood friend in creating a partnership which, at the time, was a novelty in Venice. The idea we had in mind was to approach the traditional management of my family’s apartments from an entirely different angle, while at the same time resisting the attentions of those wanting to transform my family's palazzo into a prestigious hotel. Our aim was to offer these apartments, as well as those of friends, for rental to an international clientele who’d take pleasure in the comfort, freedom and authenticity of ‘living at home as a Venetian’ rather than merely observing the city from the confines of an anonymous hotel room or suite. The common denominator then, as now, was to offer ‘something extra’ amidst an already extraordinary city - an added dimension which turns a ‘stay’ into an ‘experience’ and a 'dream' into 'reality'.

A classic Venetian apartment in a Grand Canal palazzo, offering oodles of old-school charm and magnificent Grand Canal views. Situated within the impressive Palazzo Querini in Cannaregio at the point where the Grand Canal meets the Cannaregio Canal, this handsome old-world haven of comfortable palazzo living sits on the 2nd floor reached by stairs from the palace’s monumental androne (hall). Sleeping 4 guests in vintage opulence harking back to a bygone era when colourful decoration and ornamentation were taken to the max, apartment Ca’ Degli Specchi (House of Mirrors) offers 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms along with Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and lots of space in which to relax. Peacefully tucked away landside yet directly on the Canale Grande and sharing this stretch of the water with Palazzo Vendramin Calergi (final home of composer Richard Wagner and now the Casino of Venice), Palazzo Querini boasts its own private water entrance for convenient arrivals and departures by glamorous water taxi. Please note that the operation of air-conditioning and heating are subject to municipality regulation. In general, heating is available from mid-October to mid-April, while air-conditioning is available from mid-April to mid-October. Please contact us for further information. Arrivals after 8pm incur an arrival fee

Within walking distance of Santa Lucia Railway Station (Ferrovia) and Piazzale Roma if travelling light, and close to 2 vaporetto (water bus) stops – San Marcuola for hassle-free travel about town and Guglie on the Cannaregio Canal for travel to the beaches of the Lido, visits to the glass-blowing island of Murano and connections at Fondamente Novo for travel to the rainbow-coloured island of Burano and the ancient island of Torcello. An easy stroll to the historic Jewish Ghetto (the oldest in the world) and to the Jewish Museum of Venice, to the bustling shops and food stalls along Rio Terà San Leonardo, the fish stall near the Guglie Bridge and the fresco-ceilinged Despar supermarket within the old Teatro Italia (visually remarkable both inside and out). Also close to the well-regarded restaurant, La Colombina (near the Despar supermarket) and within easy reach of the popular Dalla Marisa and Trattoria Pontini on the Cannaregio Canal, and the Fondamenta Dei Ormesini and Fondamenta Misericordia waterfronts (reached via the Rio Terà Farsetti) for a great selection of laid-back local bars, cafes and restaurants including Sullaluna bookshop and bistrot, Al Timon