From the moment we arrived, Gaia's mom made us feel welcome. She picked us up from the bus stop, showed us to the apartment, and had the most delicious pastries (from the best pastry shop in Taormina) wrapped in fancy paper waiting for us on the kitchen table. We never met Gaia personally, but had excellent contact with her and her family our entire 6 week stay. The location of the flat is great! Easy walking to Recanati Beach and many restaurants and services. Don't miss the Sat. market just a short walk down the beach (we found a short cut by accident).
We didn't have a car during our stay and found the public transportation functional and adequate (for Italy/Sicily during off season). Every issue we experienced was solved promptly and we were helped by Letizia and her husband whenever we needed anything. What an exceptional family!