We avoided a different Airbnb after a review said it was in a creepy part of town but I think that may just be Catania. When we arrived at this place I was really put off too. Catania isn’t luxurious everywhere and rolling in at night didn’t help matters much. But I have to say when Giovanni met us and brought us into the apartment it was a revelation.
Italians do interiors well in general but this place is magnificent, I think by any standards. The apartment is huge, just massive, our house is probably smaller. The beautiful antique furniture is breathtaking, if that’s your thing, as it is my thing, but the floors, piano, balconies, view of the cathedral’s dome, it’s all stunning. It harkens back to the days when Airbnbs belonged to humans and had character. Now there’s no shortage of places snapped up by investor-entities, run by management companies and sparsely furnished with some generic crap from IKEA. This is not one of those places. It's absolutely stylish and comfortable.
Giovanni recommended a restaurant not even a block away and as others have said there are many of them. I don’t think you could go wrong anywhere. Our food was superb and reasonably priced and came out of a lightning fast kitchen, with lovely plating. I think that’s what you get around here. Walking through the neighborhood? The service? Again, Catania. But just a little past the restaurant is the (probably) ancient ginormous square surrounded by significant buildings and cathedrals start so you aren’t far at all from the picturebook area.
If you need to be here or anywhere around here, I can’t recommend Giovanni's place more. There is plenty of street parking, shops, and lots to do and it’s really unlikely you’d find a more comfortable and gorgeous spot with as much character to stay in.