was very good time

The apartment was exactly as described and photographed here on the website. It was just the right size for the 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 kids, aged 6 and 8, who could share the second bedroom. The aircon in the bedrooms was very useful to help everyone settle down at night after the heat of the day. Our apartment had 2 little balconies, one that overlooked Etna and the other out to sea, which allowed for a lovely breeze through the apartment. The pool in the garden was a good size and made for some relaxing days when we just wanted to spend the morning, or afternoon after exploring somewhere, and wanted to come back and cool off. With the garden being gated to the road we never had any concerns about the children wandering out near the road. The location of the apartment near to Santa Tecla and Acireale just don the road meant it was easy to explore up and down the East Coast. Giardini Naxos was only about 40 mins away and we made it to Noto in about an hour or so. Access up Etna was also easy from there to check out the vineyards (we went to Cantine Nicosia which did a nice tour and tasting), or up to the base station of the cable car further up Etna to see the dormant craters. During our stay Elvira and Carla looked after us really well and Carla was kind enough to research some vineyards for us and was always offering nice recommendations. We would highly recommend coming here, and would love to go back on another holiday. We are missing the blue sky and the views of the sea....

My family of 5 (three kids aged 1 to 5) thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the residence; and we would return with no hesitation. What we liked: 1. THE APARTMENT - only the two bedrooms had air conditioning, but with the doors open, the living area remained suitably cool. We enjoyed Etna views in the morning from the front side; and sea views in the afternoon from the back side. The kitchen is well appointed, the wi-fi works very well, and the beds are comfortable. The shower is EXTREMELY small which made it difficult to bathe the kids ... and I imagine would be problematic for “larger” adults. 2. THE PROPERTY - The residence is fantastically located with beautiful views front and back. It is located opposite a charming outdoor church (no roof or walls), and there is a secret path from the back of the residence directly to the sea. We are 1km from the centre of Santa Tecla (best local restaurants) and 1.5km from Stazzo (a charming fishing village). The garden is well landscaped and the pool is always clean and inviting. 3. THE HOSTS - Carla and Elvira are very responsive, help as much as they can, and are friendly ... a pleasure to deal with. They can do laundry for €5 a load (first load free or first two loads free if you stay a long time). It’s worth noting the local beaches are not ideal for small children. They are very rocky and rugged and the sea can sometimes be a bit rough. It’s OK for adults, but with noting for families. There are local lidos with ladders/platforms to access the sea. For any runners, the area is wonderful. I ran to: 1. Il Duomo at Acireale - 10km return with a bit of traffic. 2. Praiola beach via Stazzo and Pozzillo - 15km return with little traffic. 3. Santa Maria la Scala - 9km return with little traffic. 4. Pozzillo - 8km return with very little traffic.

Beautiful large garden with view at Etna and the sea. Appartment livingroom and kitchen were basic but very clean. 2 bedrooms were perfect. Host Elvira was just perfect, friendly and helpful. She reacts immediately at questions.