Carmela's apartment on Via Santa Caterina da Siena is a fantastic base for anybody wishing to spend some time in Napoli.
The apartment is a fanstic space. It is made up of four corners of a square. A reception room with stairs leading up to the terrace, a master bedroom, a second bedroom / living area, and a kitchen / bathroom. There are two air conditioning units which keep the apartment cool. The kitchen is modern and well equiped for anybody wishing to cook using the fantastic local ingredients from the many markets. The bathroom is a good size with a shower, double sink, etc.
The roof terrace is incredible. A huge open space taking up the whole of the roof of the building, rather than just the roof space above the apartment. Superb views of Napoli and of Vesuvius in the distance. It is magical sitting up there in the evening as the sun sets, with the bells ringing across the city, and with occasional firework displays going off in the distance.
To get up to the apartment, which is on the fourth floor, there is a lift which takes you as far as the third floor, with a flight of steps to take you the rest of the way.
One word of warning for anybody with mobility issues - Via Santa Caterina is a reasonably steep street, and the apartment is a few minutes' walk up that street from the main Via Toledo shopping area.
The apartment is on the edge of the Spanish Quarter. This is probably what people think of when they imagine Napoli - narrow streets, talls buildings with washing lines strung across them, scooters zipping about everywhere, hustle and bustle wherever you go. I've seen reviews of the area which complain about it being dangerous or intimidating. This is nonsense - we spent two weeks there as a family, and never once felt threatened, in danger, etc. It's a wonderful place to spend time if you want to see the real city in action.
There are some great places to eat. Carmela sent us a long list of suggestions before we arrived, which we really appreciated, and made use of when we got to Napoli.
Carmela's husband was on hand throughout our stay to provide help and advice, which we really appreciated too. He also happens to make some fantastic wine which I would highly recomend - www.santiurio.com.
On the street near the apartment are some great little shops for essential supplies. It is definitely better to buy local. However if needed there is a Carrefor Express up the hill, about 10 minutes walk away, with a wider range of products.
Also on the same street as the Carrefor is the nearest funicular railway station to get to the top of the hill behind Napoli. The recycling collection bins are also on the same street.
Via Toledo, the main shopping area, is 5 minute walk down the hill from the apartment. The nearest metro station is Toledo, about 10 minutes away. You can get to Napoli Centrale railway station from here. There is also a large taxi rank near Teatro di San Carlo, about 5 minutes or so from the apartment.
In summary, this is a brilliant, apartment, owned by lovely people, in a great location, in a fabulous city.