The bewitching Grand Canal ‘piano nobile’ (noble floor) of the 13th-century Palazzo Barzizza, once a ‘casa-fondaco’ * nudging the Rialto district in San Polo. Promising an idyllic sojourn of blissful luxury and anticipating your pure delight from behind its 5 extraordinary Byzantine arches described by 19th-century writer John Ruskin in his tome ‘The Stones of Venice’, this magical new apartment is a heavenly attired haven brimming with contemporary art, bespoke furnishings, sparkling Murano chandeliers and exquisite fabrics. Bathed in limpid Venetian light and replete with traditional architectural elements including frescos, ornate gilt cornicing and traditional terrazzo flooring, the apartment sleeps 6 guests in 3 opulent en suite bedrooms, on the 2nd floor of the palazzo, reached by monumental stone stairs **. Blessed with picture-perfect Grand Canal views towards the Rialto Bridge and illustrious palazzi taking in bell towers, rowing residents and sleek black gondolas galore, the piano nobile can be reached via a peaceful campiello (little Venetian square) to the rear or by private water taxi to the palazzo’s private dock to the fore. Sharing this stretch of the famous waterway with the luxurious 5-star Aman Hotel (its spa, restaurant and bar are open to non-resident guests) and promising every creature comfort the choosy traveller expects, the fully air-conditioned *** apartment offers Wi-Fi and comprises: Landside access via Palazzo Barzizza’s main communal entrance hallway, with stairs leading up to the piano nobile on the… 2nd Floor, where we open the doors to… A spacious entrance hallway A guest bathroom (w.c. and wash basin) A magnificent main central sitting room / salone sumptuously dressed in ravishing pink Rubelli silk walls with a pair of sprawling raspberry velvet sofas and a dining suite to the rear set against a beautiful Venetian backdrop of speckled terrazzo flooring and painted wooden beams, all lit by glittering chandeliers and the light streaming in from its leaded Grand Canal-facing windows A second gorgeous sitting room with colourful ceiling fresco overhead, striking artwork all around, a bespoke Italian sofa and armchairs for lounging, and a pair of tall leaded windows on the Grand Canal to the fore which open onto little Juliet balconies A modern kitchen with gold-and-grey-tone streamlined units, equipped with everything required including a washing machine / dryer, Magimix and Nespresso machine The piano nobile’s 3 very special en suite double bedrooms comprising: Situated the front of the palazzo and just off the main salone – a fabulously flamboyant and spacious principal bedroom in teal blue velvet and gold Rubelli silk with double bed, a pair of windows on the Grand Canal (one of which opens onto a bijou Juliet balcony), a mirrored backdrop / room divide and semi-separate modern bathroom with stand-alone bathtub and separate shower and w.c. To the rear of the second sitting room – a peaceful and welcoming 2nd double bedroom with accents of ochre and terracotta, frescoed ceiling, a double bed and contemporary en suite bathroom with shower To the rear of the principal bedroom and reached via the salone – a beautifully cosy twin bedroom in ochre and sandy shades with decorated beams, 2 single beds and a pristine en suite bathroom with shower * Casa-fondaco – a pre-16th Century / Medieval palace that acted as both a Venetian merchant’s home and workplace / warehouse (further examples include the 13th-century Ca’ da Mosto and Ca’ Loredan on the Grand Canal) OUR COMMENT A prestigious noble floor property with a fascinating history, beautifully renovated and presented with personality and pizzazz! Wonderfully positioned between the Rialto area just to the north (with its famous food markets, bacari and tight network of little alleyways and bridges) and to the Dorsoduro district in the south (with its wide fondamente, antique shops and art galleries). Within moments of all that’s happening in and around Campo San Polo, and a gentle amble to the 14th-century Church of the Frari and the Tintoretto-filled Scuola Grande Di San Rocco. Close to 3 supermarkets – a small Coop near Sant‘ Aponal, a well-stocked Conad near the Frari, and a CRAI Cassa at Campo San Tomà – in addition to a plethora of shops, bars and cafes to satisfy all your self-catering needs. Within a stone’s throw of some excellent local restaurants including the casual, parasol-shaded Birreria La Corte; the reassuringly old-school Alla Madonna; and the very famous and much-celebrated Antiche Carampane – the latter hidden deep within the silent and narrow winding alleyways but surprisingly close to your apartment… if you know the way! ;) Also within easy reach of 2 vaporetto stops – particularly San Silvestro (very close and with no bridges to cross in between!) and San Tomà a little further away – and to the traghetto gondola ferry at San Tomà for trips across the Grand Canal to the must-see sights of the San Marco sestiere. ** Stairs (no lift) *** 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.