Rome City Council has brought in new regulations to try and help maintain the appearance of the city, despite the 11 million visitors each year.
So next time you are in the Eternal City, here’s a list of things to avoid:
1 Dressing as a gladiator
The number of these guys around the city was constantly growing around the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain. As was the amount they charged tourists to have a photo taken with them. Nobody will miss them!
2 Losing your shirt
While walking around the city center, you now have to keep your shirt as you do whenever you go inside a bar, restaurant, shop or hotel. Churches go even further, and insist on both shoulders and knees being covered before you can enter.
3 Cooling off in the fountains
In the summer heat, the cool water of the fountains around the capital certainly look very tempting, but resist the desire to re-enact La Dolce Vita in the Trevi Fountain as you’ll end up with a huge fine, and possibly a ban on re-entering the area.
4 Pub crawls
These used to be a summer staple for young travellers looking for something to do in the evening, but a general clamp down on drinking has put an end to organized drinking events.
5 Eating and drinking near monuments
Following in the footsteps of Venice, the capital has put a ban on messy eating and drinking near monuments.
6 Ticket touts
Make sure you book your tickets in advance,as there will no longer be touts offering skip-the-line tours outside the Colosseum and other monuments.
7 Drinking incorrectly from the fountains
This may sound a bit confusing, but anyone who has visited Rome will know that the city has many fountains where anyone can enjoy fresh, cool water. These fountains are known as nasoni ‘big noses’ due to their appearance and it’s not immediately clear why they are such an odd shape. Don’t be tempted to bend down and put your mouth to the spout as this is unacceptable, either fill a water bottle, or check nobody is in the way and close off the spout with your finger. The water will come out of a small hole on the spout (and potentially cover anyone walking past) and you drink from this fountain.
8 Dragging suitcases down historic steps
Wheeled suitcases and strollers can no longer be bumped down any of the city’s historic steps, including the Spanish Steps, to prevent further damage to the city’s staircases.
