I can recomend the flat. Me and my girlfriend stayed a week and had a very nice time here. We found the flat clean and cosy with all the basic things you need for some relaxing days. There is a sleeping room with amazing view. In contrast to former comments I found the bed not great, but ok. Then there is a little kitchen, little bathroom and small entry/living room with sofa, table, chairs. The size is good for a couple. With Nicola and his whife Silvia we were in contact only via telefone, but they took very good care of us, answered our questions of how to get there etc., even organised a cheap car rental for some days for us. The neighbor said ciao, let us in, gave us the keyes and some food for the first day etc. She was very nice and helpful. Thanks to her, too!
Caronia is a nice little town 10 minutes up the mountains behind the coast. Very quiet, nice view on the sea and the interior of the island, no tourists except us, some shops and caffes, a restaurant, curious though mostly not english-speaking people (mind the gardener!). If you do not have an own car, there is a Bus to the coastal town (not so often, maybe five times a day or so), but we never used it because you can easily come up and down by autostop, even in the night it worked for us. I think there is also some stairs that i guess you would need 1 hour to walk. From the coast-town you have trains that go during the day aruond once per hour. I would come again.