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Visiting Italy? Make sure you don’t get a hefty fine!

Italy is probably the first country in the world to address misbehaviour of tourist with huge financial penalties and to use this to fight mass tourism. With tourist numbers increasing and disrespect for laws and culture going up, the world probably needs something to make sure the locals still can live a good life.

In Italy the growing dislike of tourists is noticeable in the streets, I noticed it when visiting Italy in 2019 Entering a bakeshop outside the tourist area in Venice, silence greeted me from the locals having breakfast and buying their cornetto’s. And the shop owner refused to help me.
It felt pretty awkward and a bit hostile. According to the mayor of Venice, misbehaviour and bad manners should be penalized. I wonder if that includes being ignored as a customer in a bakeshop. Which from my perspective was a case of bad manners

I created a list of the monetary penalties you can expect in Italy when you misbehave!

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Venice

In 2019 2 German tourists made the news for being expelled from the city and fined for brewing their own coffee under the Rialto bridge. Now, maybe brewing your own coffee in the middle of Venice is a bit weird, but with the huge prices, I can imagine why they did this. Even I brought my bottle drinks in from Mestre where I was staying, simply because that saved me so much money. They had to pay 1000 euros, that is an extremely pricy coffee.

But now also misbehaviour and bad manners are being panelized (whatever that means) and riding a bike in the Venice city centre is also considered a crime. The fine for this is 500 euros.

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Florence

Italy has a very relaxed eat-culture. People standing in small coffee shops drinking their morning coffee and a cornetto. Or during lunch, buy one of those amazing pizza slices or sandwiches and eat them in a park or while walking the streets.

In Florence, it is forbidden to eat or snack in the streets and parks. Penalty 500 euros.

Sardinia

Stealing sand from the beaches in Sardinia will now get you a jail sentence. I assume that means taking sand in a container and not loose sand on your feet after a day on the beach.

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Rome

Sitting in the famous Spanish Stairs is off-limits in Rome. Taking selfies while you sit among so many others taking a rest from exploring Rome is no longer an Instagram Item. The price for sitting in the stairs is 400 euros per person.

Cinque Terre

Walking the Cinque Terre trail? And visiting these 5 picturesque villages now can only be done with proper footwear. No slippers nor sandals allowed on the trail. The fine is up to 2500 euros per person.

Let’s wait and see how many other countries will find Italy an example and more so, let’s see how Italy is going to maintain these rules and how it works out in daily life. It makes a huge income source for each city to focus on ignorant tourists breaking the laws.