Grazie mille per tutto, Katya and Daniele, everything was perfect and we will come back some day, hopefully soon!
The flat is in an amazing location and in a really lively part of Catania between the main fish market near Piazza del Duomo, La Pescheria, and the caste, Castello Ursino. You should visit both places in the day, and in the evening, the whole area comes to life with with wonderful and lively bars and restaurants. Castello Ursino was partly covered in lava and they have dug it out since, you can see how much lava there was on the sides of the castle.
Catania is a beautiful place with lovely and friendly people, the Sicilian food is gorgeous and the city has a lo to offer and many places to explore. This was my third longer visit to Catania - I absolutely love the city - and my fourth time in Sicily, it is an amazing place where I want to return over and over again. Katya and Daniele's place is great for exploring the city, and the roof terrace has a beautiful view over the rooftops towards Piazza del Duomo (and you can see the Duomo) and, of course, Etna.
Etna was erupting while we stayed at the flat and we could see the lava flow smoking on the hills of the volcano (we continued on to Taormina, where you can really see Etna and the lava flowing red at night). The rooftop is great also in the day if you want to sunbathe, and there is also the side terrace which is perfect for morning coffee.
The cafe bar downstairs is really nice with friendly staff and the pest hummous I've ever had, and it is also where you can find Il Pozzo di Gammazita, the well of Gammazita (the well was covered by 14 metres of lava after the 1669 volcanic eruption...also, google the history and the legend). The well is the reason the flat is called the Gammazita, it is literally underneath the building and can be seen from the balcony.
Catania has several restaurant and bar streets and areas that you really can't tell during the day that there is anything there at night, just walls covered in graffiti and empty streets :D But in the evening, it's just amazing. So you should definitely spend a couple of days or longer in Catania to get the full experience. I could recommend a host of restaurants, but the list would be too long....just avoid the obviously more touristy restaurants and you'll have a great meal virtually anywhere you go.
Bellini park is a lovely big part in the middle of the city for a stroll in the shade. The monastery on top of the hill in Catania is also worth a visit, it also hosts the university. The food market at the end of Via Pacini is an experience you can't miss, but make your way there early (likewise for the fish market). Also, one of the side roads off Via Pacini becomes a restaurant street in the evening, also highly recommended. If you want to enjoy a rooftop drink, the Hotel Palace Catania UNA Esperienze has a nice terrace with a view over towards Etna (and if you choose to eat there, you get the better seats...). For swimming, many take the bus ()as we did) to the nearby village, Aci Trezza, well worth a visit if not for a swim and great seafood, then for the I Faraglione volcanic rocks in the sea and the rocky seaside. Just note that the bus tickets must be bought in advance from a tabacchi, and then validated on the bus (entrance via middle or rear doors). Public transport is very good connections wise, but sure, the buses run late on occasion as they do everywhere. The trains are very good too, for example for reaching Taormina from Catania, but again, you can take the bus there, too.
The flat is clean and comfortable with spacious bedroom, we had everything we needed and will definitely come back to stay at Katya and Daniele's place. We highly recommend this place, and also, we can't recommend visiting Catania enough, it really is a city that must be experienced :)