In 2013, 20 British 16-year-olds rented a remote Sicilian villa for a week of partying and binge drinking. The host, Pablo, and his elderly Italian parents were staying on site. Gabriel Stewart, one of the teenagers, now apologises for the traumatic experience they inflicted.
The Arrival and Early Warnings
Stewart arrived a few days late but was the main contact with Pablo. Before stepping into the villa, he received messages threatening to kick the group out. The police had already been called after two nights of nonstop drinking. The villa was over an hour's walk from the nearest village, which lacked a shop, making the group reliant on Pablo for transport. He picked them up from the airport and ferried them to the supermarket multiple times.
The Partying Continues
Despite warnings from Pablo's parents, the teenagers continued loud music and drinking, spreading across the garden and poolside. Food, bottles, and cans were left everywhere. Stewart, after a night of drinking, jumped into the pool at 5am, felt nauseous, and crawled to a bush to vomit. He heard shouting in Italian—Pablo's parents were approaching. He crawled to the house to avoid conflict.
The Motorbike Incident
Pablo drove two friends across the island to rent motorbikes. They claimed they were eligible by showing the motorcycle symbol on their provisional licences, but they were not. Pablo missed his English lesson for the trip, and the drive home was in furious silence.
The Apology
The holiday ended with the teenagers offering all their remaining loose change as a tip—a pile of 20-cent coins. Stewart acknowledges it did nothing to make up for the trauma. He remembers the screams of the Italian nonna as he lay half-conscious in the grass, a fond memory of how not to holiday.
