Lucia is an excellent host. She speaks perfect English, which seems to be rare in the east of Sicily and is super quick to respond to any issues and inquiries. During our stay we had to deal with both torrential rains and water shortage and she was able to momentarily respond to our concerns and offer help when needed.

She also offered some advice as to the places of interest in the vicinity and local places to eat. When we arrived, the fridge was stocked with water, drinks and some food. She made as feel very welcome indeed and even offered a lift when we needed it.

The apartment is both classy and very clean (again, it seems to be a rarity in these parts), and beautifully located in the historic building. It looks like sth out of a movie. Due to its historic nature, the stairs are narrow and steep, but it is really part of the charm and should pose no problem to most of the guests (though the elderly and disabled people should consider it carefully). More importantly, you can climb the stairs to use a beautiful terrace on the roof, perfect for a glass of wine under the stars.

Lucia provides plenty of towels and a bedlinen as well.

Two issues remain, one small, one rather significant.

First, the internet uplink is very slow. While you will have no problem checking your mail or web pages, any attempt to contact somebody with Skype or upload pictures for your friends is going to be very slow and complicated.

Last but not least, our biggest problem was the shower curtain. It is either not wide enough or the shower is not deep enough, either way the water comes out and the bathroom needed mopping up after every shower. While not critical, it takes some time and can be a bit annoying.

Despite these, Lucia’s apartment is a perfect place to stay. There are lots of shops and restaurants around, as well as a local bakery and a grocery. At night, great places to and Trapani is an excellent base for trips around, though having a car is a must; we could hardly do without.