This villa is a good alternative to an apartment in Ortygia, providing you have a car. It is about 10 minutes from Ortygia by car, parking is not a problem as it is in Ortygia and is a perfect spot to take off from on day trips. The villa was perfect for two couples and could accommodate an even larger group as it is very spacious and has 3 bathrooms. The stairs to the upstairs apartment were outside which wasn't a problem and the deck upstairs had an absolutely breathtaking view of Ortygia as well as Mount Aetna. We spent many evenings on the deck enjoying the view and the quiet evening. The major problem we had was a terrible sewage smell emanating from the upstairs bathroom. Through most of this, Tony was in touch with us but he didn't seem to have much control over the situation either and it seemed to be a problem of getting a plumber or handyman over to take a look. When the repairman didn't show up on the agreed upon date and we didn't hear from Tony, we left early. Tony was gracious in reimbursing us for the days lost.

Also, the wifi system was not powerful enough to provide for the entire house and was availably mainly in the living room downstairs.

By the way, I imagine the odor problem has been fixed by now.