Galatea, downtown with sea view

Excellent, well-equiped place and very hospitable host.

I would say that for two men in their 60s traveling on a lark, this apartment provided very near access to Catania's historic district and the surrounding coastal cities such as Taormina and Syracusa. We even managed a successful day trip to the Valley of the Temples. It met our requirement of separate bedrooms and separate bathrooms. And we did manage to find street parking nearby every night. But be aware, the ocean view is only from the front balcony and you will never sit out there because the street is loud. The second bathroom is off of the bedroom balcony so basically you have to go outside to get to it. The bathroom itself is quite old and the shower stall is tiny and missing a panel so that the floor gets wet. A mop is provided for that. It was fine for me but I doubt my wife would've liked it had she been along.And the apartment building is old and in need of some repairs. The elevator went out for a day or two.This is not some brand new, fancy shiny location. It is old Catania and and has a patina and graffiti everywhere on the streets. The shoreline nearby is fairly industrial but on our last day we found that if we walked 15 minutes to the north there was a nice restaurant area with ocean views. Highly recommend that area for walking distance dining in the evening. The apartment was well stocked. There was coffee, an espresso maker, sugar, even a bottle of vodka 3/4 full. And some bottledwater was provided for our arrival. It was a successful stay for us

The hosts were cordial and very attentive. The unit is lacking. It is old and charming but not at all as described. There are 3 bedrooms, 2 of the three had air conditioning- with some manipulation and a fan, the third bedroom cooled down. There is no air conditioning in the main area of the unit, living room and kitchen. Could not leave ac on to coolUnit completely bc there is a weekly limit of 100kw and a charge for more usage. The shower has barely any water pressure- very difficult to rinse hair. The area is not one I would choose to vacation in again. We used it as a central hub to then visit other areas of eastern Sicily. It would be more of an area I chose to stay if I had relatives near by and wanted to live with the locals. I grew up in a well kept Italian neighborhood in the Bronx.This was more like the areas I was told to stay away from, lots of graffiti, and trash on the streets.I guess it all depends on what you are looking for… this was not as described.

Such a disappointment as the apartment could be sufficent as it is a good size & convenient location.Very little could improve the apartment , it has great potential. We didnot mind the old furniture as it was characterful but put it along with grubby bedlinen and towels , dirty shower etc it just felt awful.On arrival the owner was really pleasent and helpful and because of this we didnot really checked the premises until he left.( silly decision ) We accepted that the air conditioning was for 2 bedrooms only although this was not clear on booking.Kitchen sufficent but lots of chipped crockery etc the biggest issue was the bathroom .The shower trims & grouting were absolutely black & dirty, no water pressure from shower head a trickle of water. Handbasin stained as well and floor tiles chipped in places. The towels were worn & discoloured , i resorted to buying new towels as couldnt use them.Bedroom linen while washed there was residue of stains . Again bought sheets . These all need replaced.Cleaning fee was 66 well they need to change the cleaning provider, paintwork on doors flithy too and stains easily removed with deteregent but i take umbarge at having to clean at this level on a holiday break.

Spacious, somewhat old apartment and needing a modicum of TLC. Traffic noise irksome at times. Superb weather. Good value for money.

Giuseppe was very helpful in the check in, reviewing the apartment and giving us some directions for things to see and do

We had a decent stay in this apartment. It's spacious and well-equipped with a nice view from the balcony. Having a washing machine in the apartment was an added bonus. It's close to the Metro, several bus stops, and a train station which made getting around the city (and even visiting other cities for the day) very easy. The host was extremely friendly and accommodating, even offering the option for early check-in. He also gave us recommendations for places to eat and shop in the neighborhood as well as advice on how to reach the place in the most efficient and cost-effective way. However, the apartment itself is older and not well-maintained. There was a sewage smell in the bathrooms resulting from the recent rains. There were also insects in the kitchen. We stayed in January and only two of the rooms have heating. It was not comfortable to spend time in the living room because it was too cold. Because it is on a main thoroughfare, it was also loud with car and motorcycle noise all night. There was construction going on in the building, too. It started first thing each morning and continued all-day with hammering, sawing, and other related noise. There's not a lot happening in the neighborhood at night, so if you are looking for more nightlife maybe choose a place closer to the city center.

Very large apartment and all the comforts of home. Close to metro and grocery stores. The big outdoor market is about a 15 to 20 minute walk. We did walk to and from the historical area, but better to take the metro. We are seniors in our mid seventies. Our 50 year old son joined us. We did a tour to Mount Etna, the hike on the mountain was wonderful. We also cooked most meals at home, the kitchen was great.

For our plan to visit the Mt. Etna area Catania was the ideal starting point. Our apartment was perfect for our needs, close to airport, train, and bus. It was spacious, well equipped, and our co-host was so helpful. Thank you Giuseppe!

Giuseppe was extremely helpful and accommodating. The apartment is in a great location. It’s very well equipped. It has been updated but maintains its original charm. We loved it. Stayed for 5 nights. One drawback is, it is noisy at night. For the price you can’t beat it.

The apartment is very clean and spacious. Well equipped kitchen. Washing machine works great. Bathroom is dated and the shower is small. Bedrooms are large and beds are comfortable. AC works well. Location is good. Many restaurants in 5-10 minutes by foot. Trains and bus stations are about 15 minutes by foot. Some street noise at night. But, a pretty good value overall.

Can’t say enough about Giuseppe and his wife. They were very helpful and always available to answer any questions we had. The apartment was a little dated but very clean and comfortable. We had a car and found a parking space in the street every day. A good spot to tour from. MT Etna, Syracuse, Taormina were all about an hour away and easy to visit. Even spent a day at the beach which was 15 minutes away.

This was our first time out of the US and we were very happy with our stay in Catania. The sites were beautiful and we had a wonderful time

The hosts couldn’t have been better. The place was beautiful and centrally located. There were markets, stores, cafes and food trucks on either end of the location.