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'.

Seek out the surprising ‘Tesori di Celestia’ - Treasures of Celestia - a beacon of antique & designer chic in the Castello sestiere Lounging languorously behind a grand 15th century palazzo facade in one of the last remaining pockets of solidly traditional Venetian charm, this treasure trove apartment swaddles 8 in a stuccoed wonderland of time-honoured elegance and aristocratic good taste Wearing the patina of its past with customary Venetian aplomb and harbouring a marvelously curated mélange of ancient beams, gleaming terrazzo and dazzling chandeliers offset with ‘of the moment’ furnishings fully in tune with modern times, the freshly renovated Tesori di Celestia comprises 4 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms arranged in 2 semi-independent apartments* connected by stairs 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

A characterful apartment in a remarkably unspoilt area shared with a barely discernable trickle of inquisitive and well-informed visitors seeking out the 'genuine' everyday Venice of gently flapping washing lines, sun-dappled courtyards and characterful calli - yet still close to the action if you want to get busy about town Within steps of the peaceful Palladian church of San Francesco della Vigna (St Francis of the Vines) with its soaring bell-tower and delightfully peaceful cloisters, and on the 'right' side of town for visiting the Biennale Pavilions at Arsenale and Giardini A gentle walk to the imposing Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo (one of the largest churches in Venice and burial place of no fewer than 25 Venetian Doges), the richly atmospheric Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni with its paintings by Carpaccio, and to the 'Questura' office of Donna Leon's fictional Commissario Guido Brunetti Also within a stone’s throw of a 'Punto Simply' supermarket near San Lorenzo and the small local shops of Salizada San Francesco and Barbaria Del Tole for all your self-catering needs… and only 150m to the Vaporetto (water bus) stop at Celestia (with no bridges to cross