We loved our stay in Carmela's beautiful home. Carmela and Vito were charming and very welcoming. We were greeted by their son Nico who was a fabulous host. He was very patient with our terrible attempts at Italian! He happily drove us to the beach when we arrived hot and exhausted, he gave us lots of tips on where to go and what to do both in Acireale and the surrounding area all of which were spot on. We loved the outdoor kitchen and BBQ and the beautiful terrace. The children loved exploring the garden and looking for tortoises. The house is a short walk from the lively fruit and fish market, which at night turns into a bar and fish restaurant, serving fantastic street food. There is a great bakers 30 seconds from the house and its a short walk to lots of bars and restaurants. It's worth walking to the park for the view and the ice cream and granita in the little cafe next to it. Nico recommended we visit Etna with 'Sicily Sensations' who were fantastic. We spent the day with Paulo and Carlo and it was one of the highlights of our trip. The beach in Acireale is lava stone (like most of Sicily) but there is a great swimming platform which is free to use and has a little cafe. It's a steep walk down the hill (worth it for the fantastic views) but there is a bus that runs to and from the beach. We also visited the beach at Pozzillo which is a short bus ride away but absolutely beautiful with lots of tiny bays ideal for snorkelling. We decided not to hire a car and although there is a decent bus service we could have explored the area more fully if we had. If you want a real taste of Sicilian life this is the place.