Roberta's listing gives a great image of her warm and welcoming home - and of Roberta's very warm and lively welcome too! Her enthusiasm and hospitality made us feel instantly at home, as if we were visiting a friend.

The apartment is charming, colourful and full of quirky details. Split over three levels, it feels spacious and light. When the early autumn air felt chilly, the apartment heated up quickly.

The neighbourhood was full of little local shops, cafes and bars but was also quiet at night. We certainly felt like we were in a place where the local Milanese enjoyed relaxing and hanging out. The Parco Sempione is 2 minutes away and great for people watching with lots of locals out walking and riding bikes over the weekend. It was a 20 minute walk via the park to the Duomo - and about 10 minutes to the nearest underground and train to Malpensa airport. While we didn't try it this time, a neighbour rents bikes from his shop and it felt like a bike-friendly city so that's on our list for next time.

Roberta met us and showed us around, and kept in touch over the weekend, asking if we'd like tips about where to eat and what to see, joined us for a glass of prosecco and met us on the last morning for a coffee and to help us catch a taxi.

It was our first time staying in someone's home but Roberta put us completely at ease and it was great to get a really personal local view of what to see and do in this fabulous city. Ciao Roberta!