In the heart of Venice, Casa Santa Maria Formosa is a lovely holiday apartment for up to four people, and lies just five minutes from St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge.
The ground-floor apartment is very nicely furnished, and comprises a hall, a small sitting room with sofa bed, kitchen, a double bedroom and a bathroom with shower. It covers 50 square metres and has its own, independent central heating.
The apartment is superbly positioned for visitors to this most extraordinary of towns. This city, built on wooden piles and slowly sinking into the lagoon that surrounds it, was once one of the world's great imperial powers, with a powerful navy and influence to match. The remnants of that power are everywhere, in the artistic and architectural jewels crammed into Venice.
The biggest tourist draws are the Basilica di San Marco (the mausoleum of the city's patron Saint, Mark), and the Palazzo Ducale. This latter is the home of the Doge and all Venice's governing councils. Also check out the Scuola di San Rocco, with paintings by Tintoretto and the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, decorated with a sequence of paintings by Carpaccio. The Accademia is a magnificent assemblage of masterpieces, all by Venetian masters, and there are a dozen more unmissable collections.
You'll travel much of Venice by foot, but of course the canals and the Lagoon are why many visit. Vaporetti are the waterbuses and they will transport you around the city and to the outlying islands of the Lagoon. Also try the water taxis (sleek, small and swift) and the gondolas - the slowest way to get around Venice but surely the most romantic.
The minimum stay is three days and the daily cost ranges from €80 to €120; the weekly cost ranges from €560 to €800; the price depends on the season, length of stay, number of people and the availability of the flat. It includes all utilities, bed linen, towels, crockery and final cleaning. Please confirm details and prices on booking.
