Melania is a lovely host with a spotlessly clean home. I’m glad I was warned about the noise so that I could bring my earplugs which came in really handy. It’s not her fault that Catania is such a noisy city. I spoke with numerous Italians who lived and studied there. They say it is a noisy city and it’s noisy everywhere, even in the suburbs. In the morning, it was nice and quiet and I enjoyed her balcony overlooking the neighborhood. While close to the historic center, The neighborhood is definitely a little gritty. I never felt unsafe, but it is definitely an urban neighborhood.