Planning a trip to Venice this summer? Be careful to be on your best behaviour, or you may get fined! The Venetian authorities have launched a new campaign aimed at tourists in a bid to encourage them to behave appropriately and put an end to what they deem as antisocial activities.
STORY: You can no longer snack next to Rome's most famous landmarks
Everything from having a picnic in public to riding a bike through the city could result in a fine between €25 and €500. The #EnjoyRespectVenezia campaign was introduced by Paola Mar, the councillor for tourism, ahead of the busy summer period.
© Photo: RexNew rules have been introduced for tourists in Venice
The campaign will be run across social media and posters around the town to remind people to respect their surroundings. Among the punishable activities are swimming in canals, dropping litter, making picnic stops out of public areas, sightseeing in bathing suits and pausing too long on bridges – all of which are apparently common throughout Venice.
"The message we have to get through is that we're not joking," Paola told local newspaper La Nuova. "If it gets about that people who do this kind of thing are fined, as well as it being flagged to their respective embassies, perhaps we'll be able to stop others copying."
© Photo: RexThe rules prohibit tourists for pausing too long on bridges
Venice is not the first Italian tourist destination to introduce fines against antisocial behaviour from tourists. In June an order was signed to protect 40 fountains of historic or artistic interest Rome, including the Trevi Fountain, meaning people are banned from eating and drinking by famous landmarks.
The ban is applicable from now until the end of October, and it won't just be a slap on the wrist if you're caught with a string of cheese dangling down your chin after a slice of pizza. Prepare to fork out a fine of between €40 (£35) and €240 (£212). Ouch…Roma Today reported that the ban is to "prevent the incidents that are contrary to rules of urban decorum, and to ensure adequate protection of the historical, artistic and archaeological capital of Rome."
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