Elisa's place is a real gem located in the heart of Catania. You can't beat the location, right above the legendary La Pesceria (Fish Market) and almost on top of the Piazza del Duomo. All important buses (including the airport bus, and the bus to Siracusa) can be caught from Piazza Borsellino, which is less than a five minute walk away. The apartment itself is technically a mini-apartment, since you have to go through Elisa's parent's place to reach there, but you have your own keys to the front door as well as the apartment, and her folks are absolutely non-intrusive, so you won't even know they're there.
Elisa welcomed us personally at her apartment, which is on the third floor of a historical building, with no lift. So if mobility is a concern for anyone, this is not the place for you, despite all its brilliance. We were struggling to carry our heavy suitcases up, when Elisa came down a floor looking for us. She saw our struggle, and despite our protests, immediately called out to her elderly father, who came down, and along with Elisa, carried the suitcases up to their apartment. I really was speechless at how sweet these people were.
The apartment was absolutely brilliant from inside, more like a 5-star hotel suite than a regular home, extremely plush, and spotlessly clean. There was a huge welcome basket kept on the kitchen table for us, which included chocolates, crackers, biscuits, jams, Nutella etc. The kitchen also had some coffee mixes for the coffee machine, and teas of various kinds. And if you ever faced a meal emergency, there were some packets of pasta too. The best part about the apartment were the two balconys that overlooked the bustling Fish Market. The gentle sunlight from the morning sun, wafting into the room through the balcony windows, was ethereal.
So, in conclusion, yes, please come and stay at Elisa's place if you are looking for a real home-like experience in the heart of Catania.
Cheers