As tourism season begins to peak in Rome, local police are cracking down on what they describe as bad behaviors.
According to The Local:
Under the new rules, in force since the beginning of June, police can impose stiffer fines for everything from bathing in fountains to dragging wheelie suitcases down historic steps, going shirtless to putting your mouth too close to public water fountains.
Ticket touts, unauthorized food and drink vendors, leaders of pub crawls and people who dress up as Roman centurions also risk a penalty.
In particular, enforcement has been ramped up at Unesco sites, like the Spanish Steps — located in Rome’s historic centre — where hundreds of tourists would take a rest, eat snacks and snap photos.
In regard to the fines—anything from anti-social behavior (like drunkenness) to damaging Rome’s heritage (like littering in historic spaces) could cost tourists up to $450.
The news come days after Rome officials blocked McDonald’s from building a sprawling, 8,600-square-foot restaurant and playground near the Colosseum.
No more sitting on the Spanish Steps? Rome cracks down on tourist crowds https://t.co/y2BKQg6qAf
— The Local Italy (@TheLocalItaly) August 6, 2019
