Cristina was a very friendly and responsive host. She met us at the apartment and showed us everything. The bottle of wine and the excellent Pasticiotti were a real treat (thank you!). Communication with her was quick. Cristina provided us with an extensive mail before arrival with lots of good tips on what to do, where to go etc. That was helpful.

Someone here said the apartment was the most regal thing they ever stayed in. I cannot add anything to that. The main room is simply staggering. It's not even about the looks (which are great), but the feeling you get when walking below 5m high arches. It's just one of those things you can't get when staying in hotels. This is surely one of the more unique places you can find on AirBnb. Do be prepared to take some long walks through the apartment when you forget things at the other end of the place ;)

Now, there are some drawbacks to the old building. It's original glass windows for instance, which hardly provide any soundproofing. The very narrow alley in front, which a) keeps a lot of the light away (the apartment is a bit darker than shown in the photographs), and b) channel every bit of sound up to the apartment. The result can euphemistically be described as having the regional soundscape right in your apartment, but also as being very, very loud. Most notably, the street appears to be one of the main passages through the old town for Vespas and other small vehicles. This is not to be understood as a harsh critique, but simply as an advice to anyone with a light sleep: do bring earplugs.

The apartment's location is excellent. A vegetable shop and a bakery are around the corner, the local beach is less than a 5 minute walk (once you know your way around town), restaurants are abundant (Cristina recommended some of them, and all were very good). I imagine the city gets a bit touristy in peak season, but it was very nice in end-September.

Parking is free near the port, about a 10 minute walk from the apartment. One note: don't get bullied into paying for parking by the guys lurking around the parking spot. It is free, even though they may insist it is not.

Anyway, if you're looking for a unique place to stay, a real experience, but also a convenient location to explore Gallipolli and its surroundings, look no further. By the way - it's also very good value for money :)