The Short Version

What: A week-long summer vacation in northern Italy at Jack's family house
When: July 29th - August 6th
Where: Poffabro, Italy
Cost: ~$500 per person + flight ✈️
RSVP: Please book your flights ASAP, and send flight confirmation to Jack to reserve your spot


The Detailed Version

Where are we going?

My mom's family is from a small mountain town in Northern Italy called Poffabro, about an hour and a half north of Venice, in the Italian Dolomites. The town is tiny, less than 75 people. It has a church, a cafe, a small grocery store, one restaurant, and that’s about it.

Where are we staying?

My great, great grandfather Augustino Lorenzon and his four brothers were stone masons, and together they built this house for their families in 1900. Now, more than a century later, the descendants of those five brothers share this house as a summer home. The house has 10 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 living rooms, a big kitchen, a patio & yard. Everyone will get their own bedroom and have plenty of space.

What will we do there?

The main activities in Poffabro are swimming in beautiful Italian rivers, hiking through the beautiful Italian alps, eating delicious Italian food, and mostly just being overwhelmed by how fucking beautiful Italy is. In addition to these core activities, we may also take trips to nearby towns and cultural sites if we so desire.

When are we arriving?

We have the house reserved for 07/29 - 08/06. While one can reach the nearby town of Maniago by train, the easiest way to get to the house is by car. Ideally, everyone will arrive in Italy on Wednesday 07/29 at Venice Airport (VCE) around 9AM, and drive up together.

When are we leaving?

We will depart the house at 6:00AM on the morning of Thursday 08/06 by car, aiming to arrive at Venice Airport (VCE) by 8:30 AM. Please book any flights on Thursday for after 11AM to give yourself ample time to get to the airport and through security.

I’m coming from NYC. What flight should I take?

Delta has direct flights from JFK -> VCE every day of the summer. They are timed so that you land in Italy in the morning. Very convenient.

Recommended Flight

Is there any flexibility on arrival and departure times?

Absolutely. If you are unable to arrive and depart at the same time as the group, just reach out to Jack for help coordinating alternative travel plans.

Anything I should know before buying my plane ticket?

In order for anyone to visit the house, a member of my family must be there. In the extremely unlikely event that I can’t come due to illness or accident, the whole trip must be canceled. Accordingly, I recommend getting moveable tickets, just in case.

How can we communicate with other members of the group?

You can share and discuss travel plans in the group WhatsApp chat, (to come)

Who is driving?

Jack will have a rental car. If we are more than 5 people (likely) we will need someone else to rent a car as well. The process is easy, reach out to Jack with any questions.

How much is this going to cost?

Last year, the trip cost each guest ~ $75 a day (lodging, meals, and car rental). Someone staying the full week should expect to spend ~$500

How will we split expenses?

We will split shared expenses like groceries, car rental, and group meals by using the Splitwise App. Please download it here, and join our trip specific group here (to come)

What should I bring?

  • Bathing suits

  • Sandals / water shoes for rocky beaches

  • Casual summer clothing

  • Light jacket / sweater for cool nights

  • A converter for charging electronics

  • Good books

What is optional to bring?

  • Bike helmet + bike shoes

  • Hiking shoes / trail runners

  • Rain jacket

  • Fun board or card games to play at night

What does the house already have?

  • Beach towels

  • Pool floats

  • A bluetooth speaker

  • Playing cards

  • Bikes

What will the weather be like?

Hot summer days reach 80-90 degrees. If it rains at night, temperatures can drop to ~60.

Does the house have cell service / wifi?

The house has cell service and (okay) wifi.

Rules & Expectations

This is intended to be a very relaxed trip. This house is very old — many things like the doors and windows are handmade, fragile, and irreplaceable. To take care of the house, we rely on our good relationships with our neighbors in Poffabro. Accordingly, coming means agreeing to be respectful of the house, the town we are staying in, and the people who live there.

Chores

During our stay, there will be daily chores (trash, dishes, groceries, dinner etc) that you will be asked to help complete. On the last day of the trip, we will all work together to deep clean the house, leaving it as we found it for the next set of guests. Coming means agreeing to proactively jump in & offer to help with any and all of these chores.

Drugs

With the exception of alcohol and cigarettes, please leave all other substances at home.

How to RSVP

Once you have booked your flight, send your flight details to Jack. This will lock in your spot.

Andiamo!

You are all wonderful, kind people and I am very excited to go on this trip with you! Please let me know if you have any questions :)

Useful Links:

  • Group WhatsApp Chat (to come)

  • Group Splitwise (to come)

  • Daily Itinerary + Flight Tracker (to come)

  • Using Trains to Get To Poffabro