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 dream address for 4 guests boasting 2 terraces – and the perfect base for Venice-lovers who’ve been away for far too long! Bathed in light atop a property on the Cannaregio / Castello border in a district where you can choose to be as busy or as laid-back as you please, we’re delighted to share the details of this peaceful 3rd floor penthouse between Santi Giovanni e Paolo and Campo Santa Maria Formosa.

Sitting at the edges of Venice’s busier commercial heart in an area more in-tune with the genuine Venetian neighbourhoods characterised by gently flapping washing lines, sun-dappled courtyards and labyrinthine alleyways just waiting to be discovered, Colleoni Terrace is within a stone's throw of the monumental Dominican Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo (known as 'Zanipolo' in dialect - one of the largest churches in Venice and burial place of no fewer than 25 Venetian Doges) and on the 'right' side of town for visiting the Biennale Pavilions at Arsenale and Giardini. A gentle walk to St. Mark’s Square (and to Palazzo Grimani and the much-photgraphed Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop both near the wonderful Campo Santa Maria Formosa), the richly atmospheric Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni with its paintings by Carpaccio, the famous Rialto Bridge and its food markets, and the dainty jewel-box church of Santa Maria Dei Miracoli – so pretty… Within moments of a great selection of cafes, bars and restaurants including Spaghetteria 6342 A Le Tole Pizzeria/Ristorante, Osteria Alla Staffa, Trattoria Bandierette, Osteria al Mascaron and the small local shops along Barbaria de le Tole…