Located in the exclusive Dorsoduro district the Gabriel Bella apartment stands out for the picturesque canal view.
The living room is the most pleasant room of the house owing to the charming balcony overlooking the canal: you can keep the French window open all day to allow the gentle sound of the water splashing in. The view from here is the most relaxing and picturesque that you can dream of.
Named after the homonymous XVIII century Venetian painter for the remarkable collection of prints found in each room, this apartment offers a unique opportunity to learn through these interesting paintings how Venetian everyday life use to be at that time. In fact, he was particularly good at picturing games, feasts, cultural and political celebrations taking place in Venice during '700.
Recently restored and well laid-out on two floors, it guarantees comfortable stays with air-conditioning in every room, a well-equipped kitchen with four induction hot plates, large fridge and freezer, oven/microwave, dish washer, washing machine, etc. The equipment of the house includes scanner and printer for those who need an office in Venice.
The dining room and the kitchen plus a bathroom with shower are found at the ground floor, which is accessible directly from the Fondamenta (Venetian name of street that borders a canal); the cosy living room with balcony and canal view, two spacious bedrooms and the main bathroom with shower are located at the first floor. The dining room and the living room are both facing the canal, therefore they have nice view and plenty of natural light, while the kitchen and the bedrooms are located on the back of the building and receive less light.
Another good reason for choosing the Gabriel Bella is the comfort offered by the master bedroom with king size mattress and the nice twin/double bedroom, both with plenty of wardrobe space and of good size. For each bedroom there is a full bathroom with shower: one at the first floor, one at the ground floor.
Every detail in this apartment is studied in order to maximize your comfort. Absolutely quiet, the Gabriel Bella is highly recommended to anyone who like to indulge, with special reference to whom are interested in historical Venetian culture.
In the surroundings you can find Punta della Dogana and the François Pinault Foundation, the Accademia Galleries and other world-famous landmarks. Many Venice connoisseurs and influent artists bought their house here as it is a picturesque, quiet and central area of Venice.
distances
1 minute walk to Vaporetto stop Accademia
1 minute walk to the Alilaguna stop Zattere
3 minute walk to the Guggehneim Collection
5 minute walk to the Salute Church
closest stops
Alilaguna: Zattere - Blue Line
Vaporetto: Accademia - line 1 or 2
features
Wi-Fi
Air conditioning
First or Ground Floor
Balcony
Canal view
TV
DVD player
International channels
Dishwasher
Microwave
Hairdryer
Washing machine
Ironing board and iron
High quality linen and towels
Smoking not permitted!
floor plan
testimonials
This was a great place to stay. The neighborhood is quiet, but an easy walk to all sites. Great local bars and restaurants. Comfortable beds and living room. Would highly recommend.
October 2018, Mary (USA)
October 2018, Mary (USA) An excellent location, quiet but convenient for exploring all areas of Venice. The apartment was well equipped and we greatly appreciated the comprehensive library of books and videos relating to Venice. The pictures on the website really do reflect the excellent quality of the apartment. Would love to return.
Good morning! My sister & I have just returned from a lovely stay in Venice at the Gabriel Bella apartment. The booking process and arrival information was brilliant and we were met as promised! The representative who showed us in was very helpful and the information in the apartment was also very useful. We were also able to leave our bags in the apartment later than 10am on the day we left as we were not catching the Alilaguna until1pm – this was very much appreciated, thank you. The apartment was in a perfect location for us – very quiet but on the doorstep to everything! My sister has some major health problems so being able to walk to a boat stop in a couple of minutes was ideal and we loved being right on the peaceful canal. The English speaking staff was also a great bonus!
My wife and I chose Venice, and specifically Dorsoduro, for a much needed extended vacation. We stayed on the GC two years prior and fell in love with the city. On this trip, we wanted the flexibility and immersive experience that you can only get with renting an apartment. Our experience with Truly Venice and the Gabriel Bella apartment exceeded our admittedly high expectations. Truly Venice arranged a water taxi both from and to the airport. We were met promptly at our canal by Lara from Truly Venice. She was patient and very helpful. She gave us a detailed overview of the apartment, even taking the time to ensure everything worked properly, including the wi-fi. There was a useful binder with all of the information we could need. Lara also spent time going through a map of Venice with us and talking through places we might want to see and restaurants that we would enjoy. I can't say enough good things about the apartment. The Gabriel Bella depictions of Venice that adorn the walls are a great bit of history, and the apartment is stocked with a very large collection of guidebooks and coffee table books about Venice. It's great to lounge around plotting out a day that you know will end up differently, given how much fun it is to get lost in Venice. But, you may find that special spot you planned to visit the next day that you are lost. The view from the balcony says it all, however. I've posted a photo of the canal with the apartment on the right. We can't wait to get back to Venice and we will definitely trust Truly Venice and Lara to provide a great experience.
Our group of 5 stayed here during half term in October 2016. We were met by Thomas from Truly Venice who was extremely helpful. The apartment is located at less than 5 mins by walk from the Peggy Guggenheim museum and the Accademia bridge / Vaporetto stop. Its very well equipped with all you need for a short stay in Venice. We would all come again!
October 2016, Mark (London, UK) We booked this apartment based on the reviews and photos and it was ideally suited for our family of five; we spent 3 nights in Venice. The booking and check-in process were flawless and we had a private boat drop us very close to the apartment. Enrico provided a map and highlighted tourist locations as well as local markets and restaurants. He also arranged for our transfer to the train station upon our departure. The apartment was as advertised, well maintained and clean. The location is within 15 minutes’ walk to St. Marks and Rialto Bridge, 5 minutes to a main water taxi station and several quality restaurants. Great experience!
We were impressed in every way with Truly Venice - from the pick-up service to the information received to the wonderful home. Our house was just gorgeous and much larger than we thought. The facilities were great, kitchen was very modern and the whole flat lovely and cool through the air condition, which worked very well. We were also very impressed with all the info on Venice in the flat, the Wlan, and the apple laptop with films made in Venice downloaded on it. Most of all, we loved the location. It's right by a canal, and close to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, but still quiet.
"Gabriel Bella is truly bella!" The apartment is as beautiful, artsy, clean and comfortable as the photos depict. I had been able to only find one review (and not a very good one) and so hesitated on chosing this apartment. But the size, location and style was everything we had wanted for our stay in Venice, and as the rental company had overall good reviews from various sources, I emailed specific questions about the apartment and received reassuring answers. We all absolutely loved the apartment (4 women in our late 40s, early 50s). The kitchen is well equipped with quality items. The bedrooms are quite large with tons of storage. Both bathrooms are super clean and new and without quirks. The management has operating information in a handy notebook and on line. The beds are firm and comfortable with quality linens. There were plenty of towels and linens and pillows for us all. There is also an iron and board, computer (with movies available), drying racks, umbrellas, TV, American coffeemaker and a Moka. There are some food staples such as balsamic vinegar, olive oil, spices, paper plates. There was no need to run out for paper towels and TP immediately (like we have for other apartments) as there was a good supply. I am a reader and was delighted with the quantity of books on Venice, its churches, sights, gardens, architecture etc. The beds had decent reading lights (a first for any apartment I have rented) and it was fun falling asleep reading about Venice. Also, there was a surprising amount of electrical outlets for recharging cell phones, cameras and using hair appliances. The location is on a good sized canal with a fondamenta on either side with 4 bridges crossing it and it is a very attractive neighborhood. And quiet at night. There is a full service grocery on the Zattere about a 10 minute walk away and the apartment has a good sized wheeled shopping bag for renters to use. Much easier to transport wine bottles that way! (The grocery is a Billa, west from the apartment, walking towards the train station.) On the weekend there were shopping kiosks set up on the Zattere with fresh produce, bread and other items for sale. These were less than 5 minutes away. There are many shops, touristy and not, in the area, as well as restaurants, coffee bars, and major sights. It is located about 2 minutes from the accademia and 5 mins from the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. For those who have a Bank of america account, the BNL is 1 minute away and very easy to access money with your aTM card. Rick Steves had given a nice review for the Pizzeria accademia Foscarina on the Grand Canal at the base of the accademia bridge: go and eat the pizza there! It is actually excellent and with the house wine, unbelievably affordable (and not much else is in Venice.) The people there are so pleasant as well. To view the canal and the interesting traffic going by is delightful and relaxing. There is also a couple gondolas right there and one at the north end of the canal (in front of the apartment) although we did not do our gondola ride with either. There are 2 traghetti that will get you to the other side of the canal very quickly for 2 euros, one that takes you very close to Harry's Bar (to the west of it) and one that takes you right to Saint Marks Square (it is a longer walk, past the Guggenheim, but saves alot of walking time). With the accademia bridge right there, however, you can walk to the other side and be in any area very quickly. There is a vaporetto stop at the bridge, too, so depending on how your feet feel, you can do as little or as much walking as you wish. We have been staying in apartments in Italy more so than in hotels, and I must say that Truly Venice is great. Professional, organized and informative. If you spend any time on their website, you will learn a lot about the area and services available close to whichever apartment you choose. We have only stayed at this one apartment with them, but now that we have seen in person how accurately it was represented in pictures and in print, it seems this company has a stable of high quality apartments. It was difficult picking out a 'perfect' location to base ourselves out of, and I think this was a good choice. It was easy to get to the major sights by walking or by traghetto or even by vaporetto. And although it was close to all the touristy things, it didnt have a touristy feel. It was a great choice and I highly recommend it to anyone.
The Gabriel Bella apartment, provided a superb location for exploring all parts of Venice by foot or boat. Local amenities good. Lovely view of Giudecca Canal without the bustle and noise. Tranquil despite being 10 mins walk to St Marks. Living area a little cramped for 6 of us, but bedrooms/bathrooms top notch.
We had a thoroughly enjoyable stay in this new redecorated flat. The living area and bedrooms upstairs were roomy, great cupboard space and ideal for unwinding after walking around Venice. The location is excellent and the service we received from Truly Venice was great. Many thanks!
I lived at the Gabriel Bella for all of May and June 2013. I had been to Venice several times before, staying in hotels and apartments, but never for more than a week. The location is the best I have ever known. Dorsoduro is a quiet residential area, with lovely shops and restaurants, right in the centre of the city. The apartment in on a small picturesque canal called San Vio, with the Grand Canal (Accademia vaporetto stop) at one end, and the Giudecca canal (Zattere stop) at the other. During the day you can sit on the small first-floor balcony and watch the working boats and taxis go by, but in the evening the silence is broken only by the sound of the water lapping the canal steps below. From Accademia you can go up the Grand Canal (linea 1) to Rialto Mercato to buy fresh fish, meat, vegetables and fruit from the market itself, with bread, wine etc, in the narrow streets behind the market. From Zattere it's only one stop to St Basilio (linea 2 and others - or you can walk up the Giudecca canal) to the Billa supermarket, which has a great selection of everything, including a good deli section - and we bought Prosecco for 4/5 euros a bottle. I agree with other reviews that praise the efficiency and friendliness of the Truly Venice staff, and particularly Maria, who was lovely. She cleaned the flat every week, making it really easy for me to welcome lots of friends to stay over the two months. The apartment itself is exactly like the photos on the web site, and was comfortable for 4 or 5 people. The induction cooking was great (once I got the hang of it) and there's adequate fridge/freezer and cupboard space. There isn't an oven, but that's fine for short stays, which most people will do. Even though we were there in spring/summer we hardly used the lovely ground-floor sitting room and mostly sat round the table upstairs in the evenings. So, almost perfect. I will be returning to Venice for the next Biennale in 2015 and will certainly stay in the Gabriel Bella again.
June 2013, Georgina (United Kingdom) 