I don't know that people in towns like these still use donkeys... might be possible, i think that they would most likely use vespas and bycicles on the smaller streets.

The town looks like somewhere i would love to stay at too, i prefer smaller towns like these as a home with the option of bigger ones some fair distance away. I think the people are closer and more down to earth this way, though like you said, crime could be a problem here. Overall, it looks like a nice place to visit, no doubt you loved you time here... I wonder where your next stop will be, you're running out of free day ya know : )