Tourists must behave

Florence

Police in Florence are cracking down on the hordes of slovenly tourists who lounge on the steps of churches, blocking entrance to holy sites. Monsignor Timothy Verdon, an official of the Duomo, Florence’s cathedral, spurred the police action with his public complaints a few weeks ago. He said that every day worshipers were forced to pick their way through an obstacle course of scantily clad backpackers sitting on the steps, and that the area outside the famous church had become “an open toilet” at night. In the past few weeks, police have begun fining people 50 euros ($56) for sitting on the Duomo steps.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up