Santa Croce | €775,000 ($845,000)
A two-bedroom duplex apartment in a historic palazzo with canal views
Called Ca’ Zorzi, so named for the noble family that once lived here, this “Piano Nobile” is well located in Venice’s historic center, near the Giardini Papadopoli, Rialto Bridge and the Rialto Market, and the 13th-century church of San Giacomo dall’Orio, founded in the ninth century. Nearby is the Ospedale vaporetto (the public water bus) on Fondamenta Nuove and the Santa Lucia train terminal, one of two stations serving Venice. The palazzo is a quarter mile from Piazzale Roma, the entrance to the city just across Constitution pedestrian bridge.
Size: 969 square feet
Price per square foot: $872
Indoors: Floor-to-ceiling windows in the open-plan dining and living room are framed by classic Corinthian columns and arches, and provide a view of low terra-cotta-tiled rooftops that are typical of Italian architecture. The first level includes the common rooms and a primary en suite bedroom. Upstairs, the open mezzanine is wide enough to create a sitting area and home office, and includes a separate second bedroom. Both levels feature exposed wood ceiling beams. The apartment was renovated a few years ago with finishes such as South African slate and Brazilian cabreuva parquet. The compact contemporary kitchen includes a dishwasher and washing machine.
Outdoor space: A balcony with canal views
Costs: Approximately €2,000 ($2,180) a year, including taxes and common fees
Contact: Giacomo Argenio; giacomo.argenio@engelvoelkers.com; +39-041-267-52-22; Engel & Völkers Venezia
Campo Santa Maria Formosa | €750,000 ($817,000)
A one-bedroom, loft-style apartment in the Castello district
A quarter-mile walk from the Campo Santa Maria Formosa, a quiet square named for the 15th-century church on the north side, this apartment is in a building that was formerly a sailmaker’s workshop. The closet vaporetto stop is Rialto, on the Grand Canal near the landmark bridge, which serves the No. 1 and 2 lines. Of nearby interest are Fondazione Querini Stampalia fine-art museum, Palazzo Grimani museum and Libreria Acqua Alta — the latter, unquestionably, Venice’s most unusual bookstore. Piazza San Marco and the Ducal Palace are less than half a mile away.
Size: 1,658 square feet
Price per square foot: $493
Indoors: This apartment was fully renovated 20 years ago in a contemporary style and has been well maintained. It has a private entrance on the ground floor, where the laundry facilities/utility room and a bathroom are. The first floor features beamed ceilings — one of the few remnants hinting of the building’s industrial history — and an open plan for the living room, dining room and kitchen. The brick fireplace is original but now only ornamental, as the city banned the use of wood-burning fireplaces. A staircase leads to the sleeping loft with its vaulted, beamed ceiling, a shelf-lined sitting area and bathroom. A spiral staircase provides access to the private rooftop terrace. The apartment has been outfitted with contemporary and industrial furnishings, many of which are included in the sale price (the owner will produce a final list of what will convey with the sale).
Outdoor space: There is a private rooftop terrace.
Costs: If purchased as a primary home, there are no taxes. If purchased as a second home, taxes are about €2,000 ($2,180).
Giudecca | €710,000 ($774,000)
A one-bedroom, one-bath house on Giudecca, an island in the Venetian Lagoon
This compact two-level house is in the former 19th-century Dreher Brewery, built by Ernst Wullekopf, a German industrial architect who also built the nearby Molino Stucky flour mill, which is now a five-star hotel. Over the years, the brewery was transformed into a complex of ateliers and living spaces for artists and craftsmen, and since 2011 has been the home of a nonprofit arts and culture organization. Part of the Dorsoduro quarter, Giudecca, also called Spinalonga by the locals for its fish bone shape, is one of a series of interconnected islands in the Venetian lagoon, lying just south of the central island. Mostly residential, it has a cluster of 16th-century churches built by Andera Palladio. It is served by the Palanca water taxi.
Size: 850 square feet
Price per square foot: $910
Indoors: Renovated in 2020, the home has its own entrance within the former industrial complex. The first level features the original terra-cotta flooring, exposed brick walls, vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and entry into the private garden space. The current owner has fashioned the ground floor as a studio — a large room with a dining area and a wide entry into the kitchen with its L-shaped counter. Wooden stairs lead to an open sleeping loft with the original rough-hewed beams, a garret-style ceiling with a skylight and a small studio space.