We did not meet Alessandra, but we did talk by text messages before and during our stay. She was always very quick to respond and was extremely helpful. We had many questions about getting around in Rome and she even helped us with that. The Vatican and all of the other places to see are within walking distance. It is a little bit of a hike, but it isn't that difficult. We chose to walk, but there is a bus stop right in front of the apartment. At the end of the day, and we did all of the tours, we decided to just take a cab back to the apartment and it only costs 9 euro from downtown. There is also a very nice restaurant at the bottom of the apartment. The staff speaks a little English, but we did not have any trouble ordering.