What can I say? Riccardo is one of the kindest persons I've met and have enjoyed staying at his very comfortable and large apartment. It's almost better than he describes, very clean and everything functions well. Riccardo provides a ton of local and regional tourist and transit information, and he is a wealth of information about Catania and Sicily. He checked in often to make sure all was OK and even offered to give a lift due to the frequent rain.

He was also very supportive and super helpful in connecting me with people and giving advice on a photography project I was working on. He gave an introductory tour of Catania historical center and suggested some important sites to visit.

The neighborhood is in the old historic center about a 20 minute walk to the Piazza del Duomo. The area feels a bit ramshackle and dicey on the surface, but found that the people in the neighborhood where helpful when asked, and the neighborhood gives you a taste of the real Catania life. There are every kind of shops and food stores in the area which is perfect for preparing your own meals in the large and well stocked kitchen.

I highly recommend Riccardo's apartment.