julies

I hope some of you experts here can give me some advice. I am trying to decide between these two apartments for the end of May, so I am guessing we'd be sleeping with the windows shut. Is one a better location than the other for someone who wants a neighborhood feel with access to grocers, bakeries etc.? We've been to Venice before and will doubtless visit some of the major tourist places but won't be spending much time in those super crowed places. We don't shop (other than for necessities). We want to take the vaporetto to the islands one or two days. We like to walk and walk.

Here is the Castello one. This one has crummy photos, but I think it would be okay. I'm also guessing since it is on a smaller canal it would be pretty quiet.

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/venezia/...-267465en1.htm

here is the map for this one http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p267465d#map


Here is the apartment in Canareggio. There are better photos so I know what I am definitely getting here, and it looks nice. But, I am a bit worried about the noise level at night with the motor boats.

http://www.trulyveniceapartments.com...38&giovannelli

Thank you for the help.

dfourh

The Canareggio place would be a convenient location; it is, however, very close to the Strada Nuova, which is a wide walking thoroughfare from the train station toward San Marco - - it is likely that Strada Nuova would be "the neighborhood" as shops and restaurants go - - and there are loads of them, including a supermarket or two. You can walk further into Canareggio and find more out-of-the-way restaurants and neighborhoods, but you are still pretty much in a more central tourist pathway being so close to Ca d'Oro. The Castello place appears to be a pretty residential neighborhood - - but here's something fun - - have a look at both places using Google Earth, and really zoom in on each street and follow different paths to get a feel for the territory - - that will heighten your impression of each territory.

bobthenavigator

Funny, I would prefer the Castello location---go figure !

Holly_uncasdewar

The one in Canareggio is far more charming and appears to be much larger than the one in Castello. And it's far enough away from the Strada Nuova that noise should not be a problem. I'd choose that one over the one near Santa Maria Formosa.

ellenem

I wouldn't mind either location, though I'm wondering about what floor the Castello apartment is on. The listing says: "Floor: ground floor out of 2" whatever that means. I would not want a ground floor apartment in Venice.

julies

I think both of them are ground floor apartments......

My concern isn't so much noise from Strada Nuova as it would be noise from the larger canal that the Canareggio apartment is on. Yes, the one in Canareggio is obviously a lovely apartment and it has gut appeal for me. But, I really don't want touristy, and I am a bit concerned about whether I'd really encounter the hordes in this location and whether it would be more tourist shops than regular resident type places.

Several years ago we rented an apartment on Campo San Lorenzo in the Castello area and liked the neighborhood a lot because it had the neighborhood feel we wanted. On the map that location appears to be a couple blocks from this Castello apartment with the crummy photos. So, I am guessing that this would be a fairly residential neighborhood.

So, decisions, decisions. I suspect in my ideal world I'd find the Canareggio apartment in the Castello neighborhood. Thanks much for the help.

ellenem

The Cannaregio apartment says it is on the first floor, which in Italy usually means the U.S. second floor. it is located near a very busy section of Strada Nova right by the large Billa supermarket, but as soon as you get off Strada Nova, the streets are relatively quiet. And it is very true that every private boat that arrives from the airport will pass along the Misericordia Canal you mentioned.

HappyTrvlr

Canareggio apt is on 1st floor(thus assume US second floor) and the Castello apt. is located on the the ground floor which I would never consider in any city because of noise, and lack of privacy and security. We spent two weeks in an apt in Canareggio, a little father north, and loved the area, near the excellent restaurant L'Anice Stellato. Also recommed Vini da Giglio as mentioned above. We walked to the patisserie on Strada Nova every morning. I don't remember a lot of noise or boats on the lesser canals.

rialtogrl

I like both neighborhoods but the Cannaregio apartment would be my pick. I don't think you need to worry about canal noise, unless you like to sleep in. In the morning the delivery and garbage boats are most active, but not until after 8 or so.

It is such a great neighborhood, besides the restaurants above you've got La Cantina wine bar right there, Vecia Carbonara up the street (wine bar with excellent inexpensive crostini) and the famous Alla Vedova in the other direction (always stand to eat the cichetti there.) The Billa has everything including decent bread. Getting in and out of there with luggage is going to be a lot easier.

Whoever wrote that copy for Truly Venice was on crack when they said it only takes 5 minutes to walk to the Rialto fish market, though. Maybe at midnight if YOU are on crack, it might take 5 minutes. It is better to cross the Grand Canal on the vaporetto (assuming you will have a pass) to get to the fish market.

I can't tell the exact location of the other apartment (the map won't load for me) but there are plenty of places to buy groceries on Salizzada San Leo and Calle Mondo Novo. There is a new Coop supermarket in Campo Santa Marina. Plenty of locals live in that 'hood but there are still plenty of tourists jamming the calles following the umbrella to SS Giovanni & Paolo. But it is a great hood and you can get to many places very quickly.

Saraho

I have been to Venice many times and I love the area around Santa Maria Formosa. It feels much more open and attractive to me than Canareggio. It is much further from the crowds of San Marco and Rialto. We love to stay in Castello and then often walk to the Arsenale where there is a totally different feel to Venice. We love Venice, but we especially love the parts that are not so touristy.

julies

When we return I'll let everyone know how this turned out. We rented the Castello apartment for a week.

Thanks for all of the assistance.

Pepper_von_snoot

Good choice.

The area around Rialto Bridge and Strada Nuova is a madhouse.

I like the area around Arsenal. Very quiet and there are some great neighborhood cafes where you can stop for a spritz.

My fav Billa is the one on the Zattere.

Thin

rialtogrl

The place looks great and you will love the neighborhood.

julies

Where exactly is this Billa on the Zattere?

rialtogrl

The Billa on the Zattere is close to the San Basilio vaporetto stop in Dorsoduro. It doesn't really make sense to go there from your location for groceries. Since you are not near a vaporetto stop you'll want to do most of your shopping close by. The owner may have a shopping cart for you to utilize.

IdyllicItaly

Thanks for posting the links to these apartments and the resulting discussion. They're both lovely. The reviews for the one you chose would have heavily influenced me. I will look forward to your report.

On your previous visits to Venice, you may have seen the Santa Maria dei Miracoli church. If not, I think you would enjoy seeing it. Like so many places in Venice, it's tucked away, almost hidden from view. It is a treasure that you come upon.

Pepper_von_snoot

There is a very nice, cavernous Coop somewhere along the Fondamente Nove past
the Ospedale Civil Vaporetto stop.


Thin

julies

Well I said I'd report back. We are in our apartment right now and are very pleased with the neighborhood, so if anyone is looking for apartment rentals I'd recommend this neighborhood. It is just far enough off the beaten path to be fairly quiet and is mostly residential, but all of the shops we need for daily life are no more than maybe four blocks from us. The apartment itself gets mostly positive reviews from us although there are a couple things I'd prefer to be different. It is well-equipped with everything one could need, including boots (believe it or not we experienced acqua alta in mid May).

We walked around the neighborhood of the Cannareggio apartment, and it probably would have been okay, but it definitely is more busting and touristy just a block or so to the south of that apartment and it is very close to the super bustling tourist zone. So walking north would probably be more residential and quiet, but heading south you'd be in the thick of things right away.

di2315

Thanks for posting, julies - your Castello apartment sounds like it might also suit us for our stay later in the year.

I'd be interested to hear what your 'things I'd prefer to be different' are.

Which level is the apartment on, and does it have a safe? Di

julies

Di--The layout is a bit strange, but it is still very usable. It is ground level, which is one of the things I'd prefer to be different because I do think it makes it a bit darker. But, it is not that big of a deal at all. There would be a bit more privacy on a higher level since people would not be walking down by the window, but there really isn't all that much foot traffic.

The kitchen area is rather cramped, and would not be good if two people were really trying to do real cooking (we're not). And the oven is a microwave and oven combo (something I hadn't realized until we got here). We've been eating in, but it has consisted of reheating things we've purchased at the grocery or rotiscerria. There is a dishwasher and a washing machine (this is particularly nice).

There is no safe here, but all the windows are barred, and we have felt fine leaving our computer and other things in the apartment while we are out. The woman who owns the apartment does not speak English, and this might be a deal breaker for some people, but we managed just fine (and we don't speak Italian). Before our arrival we communicated by e-mail (she uses an online translator). We've texted each other since we've been here. And, when we arrived and had a bit of a mix up and were trying to speak by phone, she found an English speaker tto talk to us on the phone.