The story of a city, and all the cities that followed
How it began
1999
Filippo Gaggia unlocks the doors to his family’s 15th-century Grand Canal palazzo, founding Views on Venice. It becomes one of the city’s first luxury rental agencies, trading the standard tourist gaze for private, otherwise inaccessible Venetian worlds.
2000s
Our real estate arm, Dimora Real Estate, is born, allowing guests who fall in love with the local lifestyle to permanently buy into it. It will later become the Exclusive Affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate in Venice and the Veneto.
2020
We take our philosophy across Italy, starting major historic restorations on the Dimora degli Affreschi project in the heart of Florence.
The Founder
Meet Filippo Gaggia
Filippo Gaggia is a Venetian through and through—though he’s rarely seen navigating the city alone. Socrates, his much-loved dog and unofficial co-host, is generally at his side. Filippo grew up amid the international comings and goings of his family’s palazzo on the Grand Canal, learning early that the best houses are not those kept pristine, but those full of life. In 1999, he turned that instinct into Views on Venice. More than 25 years later, his work spans hospitality, real estate, and the complex restoration of historic residences. Dimora Italia is the natural extension of his particular way of hosting: deeply informed, highly personal, and never overmanaged.
the team
The people who know these cities best
THE TEAM
We are Venetians, Florentines, Milanese, and Romans—insiders who grew up navigating these places. Every host, curator, and specialist on our team brings a depth of local neighborhood instinct that a booking algorithm simply cannot replicate.
Giovanni Luongo
General Manager
Senior hospitality executive with over 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality, multi-property management and operational development.
Giovanni’s favourite moment is an early walk through Venice, before the city wakes up. After thirty years in hotels, Dimora Italia’s houses let him bring that same culture of care into a more personal way of living a place. For him, demorari means slowing down enough to actually see what’s around you
URSULA DIDOVICH
IT and Office Management
Head of Information Systems, office coordination and administrative support.
Most mornings before six, Ursula runs along the Zattere toward Punta della Dogana, watching the sunrise over Bacino San Marco. She joined Dimora almost thirty years ago through simple word of mouth, and never left. To her, demorari means noticing the small things a guest might love.
rachele scarpa
Operations Manager
Responsible for daily operations coordination and guest experience management.
cristina benassai
Guest Experience Manager
Cristina creates and coordinates exclusive, tailor-made experiences, helping guests discover each destination in an authentic and memorable way.
Alessandra Garagnani
Social & Media Manager
Responsible for the company’s social media communication, digital presence and brand storytelling
daniela marchesini
Quality Manager
Responsible for quality control standards, maintenance supervision and operational consistency across the portfolio.
Daniela’s favourite hour is the golden one before sunset, when she’ll take the long way home along the Zattere just to feel that light. She’s been with the group almost twenty years, since before Dimora existed. For her, demorari means feeling at home, knowing a team is there to care for you.
gaia simonato
Digital Marketing Advisor
Gaia works remotely, far from Venice, but when she visits, she walks slowly across the city to the office, chocolate in hand for the coffee break. A guest once wrote about a Florence apartment: “it’s one of those places that just stays with you after you leave.” That’s demorari, for her.
cecilia righini
Property Manager, Florence
Cecilia parks her 500 on Via San Leonardo, swaps it for her Brompton, and rides down toward the Duomo, stopping at Rifrullo for a cappuccino they start making before she even orders. She answered a job ad out of curiosity and fell in love with the palazzo first, the people second.
francesca franchini
Revenue Manager
Specialized in revenue management and pricing strategies within the hospitality and luxury short-term rental sector.
The Team
The people who know these cities best
GIOVANNI LUONGO
General Manager
Senior hospitality executive with over 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality, multi-property management and operational development.
Giovanni’s favourite moment is an early walk through Venice, before the city wakes up. After thirty years in hotels, Dimora Italia’s houses let him bring that same culture of care into a more personal way of living a place. For him, demorari means slowing down enough to actually see what’s around you
URSULA DIDOVICH
IT and Office Management
Head of Information Systems, office coordination and administrative support.
Most mornings before six, Ursula runs along the Zattere toward Punta della Dogana, watching the sunrise over Bacino San Marco. She joined Dimora almost thirty years ago through simple word of mouth, and never left. To her, demorari means noticing the small things a guest might love.
RACHELE SCARPA
Operations Manager
Responsible for daily operations coordination and guest experience management.
Rachele walks to the office along the Zattere, stopping at Schiavi for coffee and a sandwich, and again later for her favourite hour: aperitivo, always at Schiavi. She interviewed with Filippo three times before landing the job. Determination won. For her, demorari means anticipating a guest’s wish before they ask.
CRISTINA BENASSAI
Guest Experience Manager
Cristina creates and coordinates exclusive, tailor-made experiences, helping guests discover each destination in an authentic and memorable way.
Cristina walks to work every day, whatever the weather, and never skips an aperitivo at Schiavi. She’s been in Venice since university and at Dimora for eleven years, falling for the city long before the job came along. For her, demorari means getting lost in the lagoon by boat.
Alessandra Garagnani
Social & Media Manager
Responsible for the company’s social media communication, digital presence and brand storytelling
DANIELA MARCHESINI
Quality Manager
Responsible for quality control standards, maintenance supervision and operational consistency across the portfolio.
Daniela’s favourite hour is the golden one before sunset, when she’ll take the long way home along the Zattere just to feel that light. She’s been with the group almost twenty years, since before Dimora existed. For her, demorari means feeling at home, knowing a team is there to care for you.
GAIA SIMONATO
Digital Marketing Advisor
Gaia works remotely, far from Venice, but when she visits, she walks slowly across the city to the office, chocolate in hand for the coffee break. A guest once wrote about a Florence apartment: “it’s one of those places that just stays with you after you leave.” That’s demorari, for her.
CECILIA RIGHINI
Property Manager, Florence
Cecilia parks her 500 on Via San Leonardo, swaps it for her Brompton, and rides down toward the Duomo, stopping at Rifrullo for a cappuccino they start making before she even orders. She answered a job ad out of curiosity and fell in love with the palazzo first, the people second.
FRANCESCA FRANCHINI
Revenue Manager
Specialized in revenue management and pricing strategies within the hospitality and luxury short-term rental sector.
The Future
Where Dimora is heading next
Lecce
Verona
Ortigia
Explore all the destinations
