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Venice Mayor Wants to Ban Tourists From Sitting Down in Undesignated Areas

Caroline Schagrin
Caroline Schagrin
Contributor
Caroline graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She works on both the editorial and video team at TPG and is interested in people, places, culture, and of course, travel.
Sept. 20, 2018
•
2 min read
Saint Mark's Basilica
Venice Mayor Wants to Ban Tourists From Sitting Down in Undesignated Areas
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Tourists in Europe seem to be bugging city officials everywhere. From breaking donkeys' backs and cruise ships overloading Santorini's shores to eating paninis near the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, European authorities have had enough with tourists disrupting their historic cities. As of now, the Mayor of Venice wants to ban people from sitting down basically anywhere in the city.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro is submitting a proposal to the city council this October, and if he gets his way, those caught sitting in undesignated areas could face a €50-€500 fine, the Telegraph reports.

Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice, Italy

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Tourists are already banned from sitting on the steps near and around the St. Mark's Basilica, and on top of that, there's a growing list of restrictions that officials imposed to help people respect and keep the city in tip-top shape. Last summer, the city launched the #EnjoyRespectVenezia campaign, which could land you a fine if you're found littering, riding bikes through the city, swimming in the canals, picnicking in public spaces, stalling too long on a bridge and wearing your bathing suit as your day's outfit. Similarly, the mayor issued a temporary ordinance in April to regulate pedestrian, water and vehicle traffic and made some areas only accessible to locals.

According to the Guardian, Mayor Brugnaro called these sitting tourists "boorish," and the proposal is facing opposition from residents' groups.

"There is such a long list of things that are forbidden in Venice there is nothing left that you can do," Marco Gasparinetti, a residents' group leader told the Guardian. "They would need to hire an extra 5,000 officers to properly enforce everything."

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.