This flat was a wonderful place from which to explore Caltagirone. It opens onto a square where all the city buses stop and where public festivals are held. In the same building on the ground floor are a bakery and a “bar” that serves everything from breakfast breads and coffee in the morning to lunch sandwiches and ice cream later to alcoholic drinks in the evening. Restaurants, convenience stores, and a fruit/vegetable store are within easy walking distance. The business district is reachable on foot if you are willing to walk 45 minutes or so, or you can take a bus, though be aware the city buses seem to run at irregular intervals and you should probably not form a timed personal schedule around a bus trip. The famous staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, the Caltagirone ceramics museum, the prison museum, and several beautiful churches are very close by, and the shops selling the city’s famous ceramics are also there in the neighborhood.
The flat itself was spectacularly clean when we arrived, and our hosts had stocked it with all linens and plenty of foods to start us off (coffee, bread, snacks, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon), which was a huge help since we had not brought our own car, did not know the city, and had been up all night on an international flight and were very tired. They met us at the flat and gave us all necessary and useful information, and they were immediately available by WhatsApp whenever we had questions throughout our stay.
Four of the bedrooms face the square and the fifth is on the other side of the apartment, with a window onto the inside courtyard. There is an eat-in kitchen which is the main space for social congregation, as the entry/living room is a bit small if you have many people with you. The listing when we rented said that there was no hair dryer, but in fact there are at least three inside the flat, which was a pleasant surprise. There are many steps to enter the apartment, but my mother and my husband’s mother (both over age 70) were able to go in and out, though perhaps not so often each day as they might otherwise have done.
I highly encourage you to rent this AirBnB if you are staying in Caltagirone - and I highly encourage you to travel to Caltagirone! Our week there was an experience we will always treasure. It is a beautiful city with kind and lovely people.