Vintage Venice: A Private Apartment, Arrival by Water & the Island of Murano
Two‐Bedroom Castello Apartment, Water Taxi Transfers, Murano Glass Experience & 5‐Night Stay for 4
This Experience for 4 Includes:
- 5-night stay in a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment with a terrace in Venice’s Castello quarter
- Water taxi transfers on arrival and departure days
- Visit to a Murano glass factory with free time on the island, including water taxi both ways
- Final cleaning and utilities
- Winspire booking & concierge service
Venice reveals itself slowly, and the version worth finding sits a few bridges past the crowds, where the noise falls away and a working city takes over: laundry strung between shuttered windows, neighborhood wine bars filling at dusk, water moving quietly against stone. Reaching it takes more than a day trip, which is why this journey begins with an address rather than a hotel.
For five nights that address is a private two-bedroom apartment in Castello, reached by water taxi on the day you arrive and the day you leave, with one afternoon set aside for the glassmakers of Murano. Everything else is yours to fill.
Castello: The Quarter Venetians Keep for Themselves
Castello is the quarter Venetians themselves point to as the most authentic in the city, set well apart from the heaviest tourist traffic and running instead on a neighborhood rhythm of morning markets, boats unloading along the canal, and small squares that fill with conversation at dusk. Staying here makes you less a visitor than a temporary resident.
Your apartment sits in the city center and gives four travelers room to spread out: two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a kitchen and dining space of your own, and a terrace made for lingering over a morning coffee or a glass of wine as the light drops behind the rooftops. Final cleaning and utilities are covered, so nothing needs settling at the end of the week.
Arriving by Water
In most cities the transfer is a formality, but in Venice it is the opening scene. A water taxi collects you from the docks near the train station or the main parking area, and carries you and your luggage across the water to within a few minutes’ walk of the apartment, sparing you the long haul through the city. Palazzi rise straight out of the water on either side, working boats pass carrying everything from produce to furniture, and the same service returns you on departure day, so your visit begins and ends where Venice makes the most sense.
Murano: The Island of Glass
A short ride across the lagoon brings you to Murano, where Venetian glassmaking has been concentrated for centuries and is still practiced every day. Inside a working factory you stand close enough to watch molten glass become something delicate and precise in a matter of minutes, and the free time that follows is yours for the studio showrooms, the quieter canals, and choosing a piece to carry home. Water taxi transportation to and from the island is included.
Venice rewards anyone who stays long enough to stop rushing, and five nights in Castello with a water taxi at either end leaves room for late dinners, unhurried mornings, and the particular pleasure of coming home to a Venetian address.
Why This Experience Captivates Donors and Inspires Bids
- A Bucket-List City with Universal Appeal: Venice ranks among the most requested destinations in the world, which gives this package instant recognition in the room and reach across every donor type.
- Built for Four: Two bedrooms and two full bathrooms suit two couples traveling together or a family, widening the bidding pool well beyond couples-only packages.
- An Address, Not a Hotel Room: A private apartment in Castello, the quarter Venetians consider the most authentic in the city, offers something donors cannot easily book on their own and lifts perceived value.
- Two Signature Venetian Moments: Arrival by water taxi and an afternoon on Murano give the package a pair of vivid, highly visual experiences an auctioneer can sell in a single sentence.
- Nothing Left to Arrange: Cleaning, utilities, transfers, and Winspire concierge service are all covered, making the package effortless for the winning bidder and risk free for the nonprofit.
Package Redemption
Winspire Travel packages and experiences must be booked within one year of the purchase date. The actual travel date must occur within two years of the purchase date.
Booking & Concierge Services
Winspire provides a team of seasoned travel professionals to help you redeem your experience. We will book all travel-related details and reservations for every part of your experience. Included within our services, Winspire can assist with extra hotel nights, airfare, and additional guests as a full-service travel agency.
Additional Information
Reservations are subject to availability, blackout dates, and major holidays. Reservations must be booked 60 days in advance of travel. Purchases through charity fundraisers are non-refundable.
Ground transportation is the responsibility of the winner unless otherwise stated.
Blackout Dates
Carnevale, the Venice Biennale, the Venice Film Festival, the week of major holidays, and major local events. Additional dates may apply.
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