What’s left to say about Venice? The city of canals has beguiled everyone from Lord Byron to Ernest Hemingway; its narrow streets and bridges have launched a thousand swooning love affairs and wedding proposals.
It’s hard to get out from under the weight of centuries of myth-making to do something new, but Palazzo Cristo manages it. This sumptuous Venetian palace dates back to the 16th century – it was once painted by Canaletto – but fell into disrepair over the decades. Not that you’d know – it’s since been revamped into the height of modern chic.
After a late flight and some confused late-night wandering, Mr Smith and I find it tucked into a quiet courtyard just off Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, a charming courtyard fringed with a canal on one side and a Gothic basilica on the other. Self check-in – mainly consisting of tapping in a code to get into the building and picking up a key card left discreetly in the hallway – is a breeze.
We are booked into Suite III, one of two one-bedroom apartments in the building (larger parties can opt for the two or three-bedroom suites). Palazzo Cristo certainly has the wow factor – the high palace ceilings and original beams are thankfully intact, but the furnishings are ravishingly contemporary, with sumptuous velvet upholstery and delicate cherry blossom flower arrangements.
The bathroom alone, decked out in sleek Carrara marble and travertine stone, is larger and arguably more tasteful than most one-beds in London. Mr Smith and I crack open the complimentary bottle of prosecco chilling on the marble table in the living room and toast to our long weekend in La Serenissima.
The morning brings new delights: Rosa Salva, a beloved family bakery that has been turning out pastries since 1879, is mere seconds away. We treat ourselves to fragrant pistachio croissants before firing up the Nespresso machine at home for an espresso.
The kitchen is fully equipped with Miele oven and cooker – there’s even a dishwasher – and thoughtful supplies like Twinings tea and olive oil. But we really had no need to cook; there are more than enough restaurants in the vicinity to entertain the pickiest foodie. (Our favourite? La Zucca, a sleekly intimate vegetarian restaurant that serves a pumpkin flan that briefly made me see God.)
Still, we couldn’t resist popping to the shops to look at the local produce. Open-air Rialto market was a short walk away, just over the sweepingly ornate Rialto Bridge. For those who prefer a more modern supermarket experience, there’s a Despar outlet 15 minutes from the palazzo. This being Venice, however, it’s also set in an enchanting venue – the former Teatro Italia, as we later found out – which must make it one of the only places in Europe where you can shop for fruit and veg under frescos.
On our second day, we beelined for the iconic sites of St Peter’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, rolling out of bed early and embarking on the 10-minute stroll to the public square Napoleon once called ‘the world’s most beautiful drawing room’. Thankfully, it was so early – like 8.30am – that we shared it with a flock of noisy seagulls and not much else.
I have to admit, I was a little worried about visiting Venice – the stories of tourist overcrowding didn’t exactly fill me with confidence for a romantic holiday. By late morning and afternoon, San Marco filled up with tour groups and selfie sticks – we even had to queue to cross a bridge. But Venice rewards wandering: we found that walking even a few minutes down an alleyway or two was enough to lose the crowds.
Palazzo Cristo – despite its short distance to the main square – feels especially removed from this hustle and bustle. Even though our window overlooked the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, an extraordinary landmark in its own right, we spotted only locals going about their daily business. At the end of a day of traipsing round the city, it was a welcome haven, particularly thanks to a discreet housekeeping service that left our suite spotless every day.
On our final evening, the lively bars and restaurants of Fondamenta della Misericordia beckoned. After a quick pit stop to freshen up at home, we ended the night on an outside table at Il Paradiso Perduto, an osteria popular with families, nibbling crisply-fried soft-shell lagoon crabs and watching the moon rise in the sky – no other tourists in sight. And all this, within a 15 minute walk from our suite.
Turns out there are still a thousand things you can say about Venice, a city that is both beautiful and utterly walkable. The only thing I would add? A serviced apartment is all well and good if you come armed with a hefty list of tips from friends, as we did – but newcomers to the city should note there’s no concierge so do exchange emails with their ever-helpful team in advance. That, and remember your walking shoes.
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Zing Tsjeng is editor-in-chief at Vice UK and a journalist, podcaster and author, specialising in women’s and LGBTQ rights, politics, culture and lifestyle. Her four-book series Forgotten Women, which explores the untold stories of inspiring women who have been marginalised from history, is published by Octopus.