Giovanna Maria is a very kind, friendly and helpful host and her brother, Roberto, speaks excelllent English and is a brilliant guide. The apartment is very comfortable and has everything you would need. It is situated near to grocery shops and restaurants and is not far from bus stations and the main shopping street. We loved the old buildings and we enjoyed eating in the excellent restaurants recommended by Roberto. Catania is a great city for shopping and is convenient to beaches, Etna, Taormina, Syracuse, etc. However, we found it difficult to locate bus terminals and information on timetables.