Italians left roamin’ after holiday fiasco

MAMA Mia! A group of Italian tourists experienced anything but “la dolce vita” during their holidays in Ireland.

Three male friends, aged 25, were forced to sleep in their hired car for two nights after forgetting the location of their guesthouse.

The trio, who are due to return to Italy tomorrow, have now appealed for help in finding the B&B where they left all their possessions.

The fiasco began when the group arrived in Dublin Airport last Sunday where they picked up a rented car before driving into the city and booking into a B&B for the night.

They then drove around Dublin to find some place to eat. However, when it was time to go home for the night they were unable to find their guesthouse.

The hapless tourists were forced to sleep in their rented car for the first two nights of their holiday before they decided to seek help at a local garda station. Officers based at Kevin Street referred the visitors to the Tourist Victim Support Office which yesterday launched an public appeal for help in discovering the whereabouts of the B&B.

"They've left a passport, ID card, plane tickets and all their luggage behind," said a spokesperson who declined to reveal the identity of the tourists.

The three Italians were fortunate enough to have kept all their money with them and travelled to Kilkenny for the last few days. The Tourist Victim Support Office also arranged for the visitors to be re-issued with air tickets.

However, they have gone "missing" again as officials have been unable to contact them because their mobile phone chargers were left behind in the guesthouse. But they are expected to call back later today to see if there is any update on their imbroglio.

"All they know is that they stayed in a B&B with a green door that was opposite a school on a street with no trees," said a spokesperson. "They believe it was probably located south of the River Liffey," she added. The spokesperson said the Italians had been "very embarrassed" by their predicament.

However, having done "an Italian job" on themselves, the group should take some solace that à la Michael Caine they became a self-preservation society.

lAnyone with information on the location of the B&B is asked to call the Garda Tourist Victim Support Office on 01-4785295.