The apartment is a great base for your holiday. It is comfortable and much larger than expected and the views from the balcony are superb. The beds are very comfy and there is plenty of storage space. Bathroom is clean and well maintained and there is always hot water for the overhead shower and bath. Good sized fridge /freezer and although there’s no oven, the hob is good for cooking. The apartment feels very safe and secure. As to location, there are several public beaches below the apartment which are sand/shingle and the water is crystal clear (bring a mask and snorkel!). The lido private beaches are to the southern end of the bay about 10-20 minutes walk away. You can get a bus to Taormina and on to Castelmola (they are reliable but you need to check the timetables for return times - use the etna transport website) - the bus stop is less than 5 minutes walk away . We spent many a day exploring the town. You can also get a public (interbus) bus to Alcantara gorge if you don’t want to go on a tour. We preferred doing this as we could spend the time as we liked. There is also a hop on/hop off bus nearby. The tour companies have kiosks along the promenade for trips to Mount Etna, boat tours etc . We also did a cooking class in Taormina which was brilliant. The walk to the ruins in Giardini Naxos takes about 20 mins and is worth a visit for an hour or so. There are two small supermarkets nearby and there are plenty of good restaurants and bars. We had a fantastic time here- the owners are very lovely and accommodating. Just to be aware though, this is in a resort area and there is a road beneath the apartment which can feel noisy at times. The sound of the waves however is lovely and the location and views more than make up for it. We love Sicily!