Souvenir stands at popular tourist sight in Rome banned

Thursday, January 9, 2020

At some of the popular tourist attraction in Rome, souvenir stands has been banned which includes the renowned Spanish Steps and the Pantheon.

To 17 vendors the new rules remain applicable  which will be at high-profile sites like the Trevi Foundation and the Piazza Navona.

Virginia Raggi, the mayor of the Italian capital said that the stalls were incompatible with decorum and security and this decision happened to protect the cultural and monumental heritage of the capital considering the public safety in crowded areas.

The rule will come into force on 1 January and the rules stipulate that the vendors must move to the other sites even though eight will be allowed to trade on streets near the original pitch.

An array of souvenirs is being served by the stalls in questions like the Colosseum statuettes, mini figures of the Pope and Donald Trump.

Since last year Ragi  has been keen to rid attractions of these stalls and mentioned that for years the monuments of the city were tarnished by vendors who sell drinks, panini and trinkets in front of Rome’s architectural jewels which was no longer tolerable.

So far the vendors are known to have argued that they provide tourist with a service.

Angelo Di Porto, who has a stall next to the Trevi Foundation, said that this has been in his family for seven generations.

According to him stand was a legitimate business that pays rent and a range of taxes.

Earlier in June 2019 , the new raft of rules was announced  which banned men going topless in public, the  practice of attaching ‘love padlocks’ to bridges, eating messy food near popular tourists attractions like Trevi Fountain, wheeling suitcase and prams down the Spanish Steps. Touching your lips against the spout when drinking from Roman public water fountain.

« Back to Page

• River Rafting, River Cruise and Canal Tours boost water tourism

• ITA Airways Expands Tokyo-Rome Flights to Daily Service Amid Rising Demand

• Princess Cruises embarks on its voyage from Rome

• Etihad increases flight services from Abu Dhabi-Rome

• Aeromexico and ITA Airways forge codeshare alliance with reciprocal loyalty program benefits