“Eating on monuments can really get out of control,” he added. “Once I caught a group of tourists who set a table on the Spanish Steps, with table cloth and cutlery! This has to stop.”

Romance in Rome? Who would think of such a thing? (Were there candles? Is he still single?)

What tourist is going to walk around with a table and chairs just to sit and have lunch at the monuments, Rome needs to come up with a better excuse. Well, I always said that I did not lose anything across the water, why should I leave the USA to visit another country? The USA has alot of places that I have never seen that is much nicer and not costly.

This is just another way the government is trying to bring more money into a failed economy. Kind of like our ticket blitzes ( which police say never happened ).

Not littering should be common sense but their own citizens are the worst offenders!

“You can’t dirty such a beautiful and historical monument with ice cream and bread crumbs just because you can sit on it.”

You hear that pigeons? Show some common sense!

With their economy in turmoil, you'd think they wouldn't want to turn off tourists who bring in their revenue.

Place a few freakin' beautiful rounded marble tables with benches around for them to eat on. Plus some decorative trash cans. Fine the people who litter and make them pay cash on the spot. WTF is wrong with these guys.

They sure got one thing right, "NO" tourist is going to take time out to locate where they can pay a fine. Especially a ridiculously stupid one as this. Yup, it'll be a souvenir. Never paid. Would you!? Heh heh.

Anderson,

Take Rich's advice. Why would you want to throw your own Country under the bus? I mean "really"!

If you ask me, America has multiple beautiful places to visit. In fact, there are 10 times as many places to visit here than a simple few over in Europe. Pffft...

After looking at the pictures, I think Rome needs "fashion police" not "cannoli cops"!

I think a couple of Sidewinder missiles or smart bombs would stop these sandwich eating terrorists!

This sounds exactly like something Al Qaeda would pull, and the next thing you know there will be IED gellatos laying around that will start blowing up, people will be running in the streets with scizzors and all hell will break loose.

Better yet, why don't the people declare it an "Eat at a Monument" weekend, where thousands of people would flood every tourist sight, bringing picnic baskets, tables, chairs etc. (from a thrift store)and when they are done, just leave it all there. It will take them weeks to clean up all the crap up. Then everytime they start to crack down, you have another EAM weekend!

been to Italy place smelled like a sewer and was trashed out Spain was much nicer

Europe is no more "full of history" than North America. Our culture is no less relevant either. I have noting against Europe I just take exception to people that suggest that the Americas have less culture or history. That just isn't the case. North America has been inhabited for the last 18 to 30 thousand years.

Y'all gonna have some splainin to do when Giada De Laurentiis comes home for a visit :) I seem to remember her always enjoying Italy's wonderful food near a beautiful piece of history.

Seriously Creek Dog has the right idea just set up an appropriate eating area or don't sell food where you don't want it eaten.

It is the birds that they are worried about, there poop is very acidic, and can damage the monuments. They do at least need a sign however.

The Author of this story really didn't explain the reasoning of this law. It does, however, make me want to pack a lunch and take the next flight to Rome so I too can get an Italian souvenir. Also, do they ticket locals?Now I'm hungry!

As Creek Dog and howard suggested, common sense would be to either not sell food where you don't want it eaten, or to set up tables/chairs and trash bins for people to sit at and dispose of waste. It's bad for your health to walk and eat. And clearly it isn't common sense not to eat at a monument, etc. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many people doing it.

Let me solve your problem....... not going to Rome

Was there last summer and I can say that this is just a ridculous and asinine law. There are food carts set up literally every few feet around these monuments with usualy no where to sit and eat. This is just a way to try and grab cash, which is dumb, they even said no one will pay it. Had a run in with a couple cops in Rome and I can say they are not anything like cops here. You can pretty much just ignore them and walk away. They have no real means to stop you and if you are American, chances are you are way bigger than they are.

"The mayor of the "eternal city" has made it illegal to eat snacks and junk food on or around its monuments"

Why are they intentionally targeting Americans? Stupid Romans, we should ban little Ceasars from monuments...

Rome is already in ruins. An uncollected fine isn't going to save it.

So there's a difference between sitting down and sitting down and eating one of the foods the vendors sell you? I can understand if something happens like a group folding out a table, but just to sit for a few minutes to eat something you just bought from a vendor is nuts. Not posting that there is a fine for doing so and just fining unsuspecting people seems pretty sneaky - it's the old 35 MPH speed sign posted behind a tree kind of sneaky! This kind of tactic just pushes tourists away!

chewing on your panino

That is a priceless euphemism for something.

The USA has a lot of places that I have never seen that is much nicer and not costly.

1robbinh, I agree we had planned to go to Greece this summer but balked at the airfare! Instead we flew to San Jose, Ca rented a car, and drove down the Pacific Coast Highway.... Monterrey/Carmel, Big Sur, Cambria (near Hearst Castle), Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, and ended up on Malibu Beach on the Forth of July! Total cost (flight from Phoenix to San Jose, rental car, lodging, food and souvenirs) was less than just the airfare would have been to Greece!

@CatWhispererPhD

It's bad for your health to walk and eat.

Source?

Pride and Joy...I have always wanted to make that trip!! Sounds like you made the best choice, even if money wasn't the issue!

Jeffors, they're talking about buildings, architecture, things you can see. Yes, you can stand on a field where Native Americans hunted buffalo 3,000 years ago. Or you can visit a village in Ireland with buildings and churches built 3,000 years ago. How many castles have you visited in the U.S. where kings ruled all of the civilized world a millenia ago? Eddie Izzard once joked "I'm from England- where history comes from." And then proceeded to recount how funny Americans are when they brag about a house that is over 20 years old. We tear down oou old buildings and monuments. The oldest buildings we have in this country are still less than 500 years old. As a country we would not have produced any American painters, writers or composers more than 236 years ago. The U.S. vs. all of Europe - sorry, but history is not on your side on this one.

Some poor guy needs to piss in the corner and he has to put up with seeing a tourist with food.

Yes, tourists can simply leave Italy without paying the silly fine. However, if they ever come back to Italy, they can be charged the ticket amount plus late fees. And if you don't pay, you won't clear customs. I'd probably go home, write a short letter explaining how no signs were posted and lots of other people, Italians included, were eating near the steps too. I've had tickets dismissed this way, but be polite and honest. Don't blame the police officer or make disparaging comments about Italy.

I agree with the poster who recommended some tables, benches, and trash cans near Rome's attractions. Everyone should clean up after themselves and those with them.

duplicate post

I think the government forgot that it will effect the vendors selling the snacks a cause and effect attitude that will probably close some of the vendors

Panic Moon,

The Pueblas of the American Indian have been continuously occupied for 1,500 years. There are huge Indian Mounds that were built 54,000 years ago. America's Stonhenge, in Salem NH, is at least 4,000 years old.

Hey BYS2

My wife and I were planning a trip to Europe and especialy Rome for our 40th Anniverysary next Year.

We would love to have spent it looking at all the monuments and such.. But..

I think you made up my mind. I will take your advice and spend my THOUSANDS of DOLLARS here in the good old USofA.

Maybe if a few thousand of us took your advice then you would have a few less people to worry about.

For me, I love people from Europe coming here to see what we have to offer. I live in Vrginia and we have great mountains, oceans and Washington DC all within a couple hours of where I live. Great ways to spend local time.

Sounds like we need to take the mayor of Rome and drop him down a big black hole....right along with the runty little mayor of NYC.

For the lie of me, I don't know why anyone would travel outside of the country these days. Every where you look, someone is hating on Americans. I saw a good quote the other day, "Let's stop sending our aide to foreign countries so they can hate us for free!"

@Jeffor Well you're retarded. As if America being populated for a time far less than that stated by you has any bearing on the fact that Europe has been populated longer.

And for the record, you can't fight the sammich! Its the eternal bond of easy carrying food that brings people of other nations together to eat in obscure places and laugh with their mouths full! The sub, the Rueben, the panini, the pizza sammich, and so many more! I agree that there should be more vendors of sammichs in the far reaches of the globe right next to monuments and outside pita sammich pigs' stations so we can find deliciousness wrapped in bread everywhere!

Shame on the mayor!!! If they do not want anyone to eat there they need to: a) stop allowing food to be sold and b) post signs at the entrances of no food allowed! It sounds MORE like a way to generate income than a concern for for the monuments.

Drak 2293142,

CatWhispererPhD is correct. When you're walking, your heart is pumping blood to all the hard working muscles "constantly". When you eat, your heart pumps a lot of blood to your stomach for digestion.

When doing both, your heart needs to make a decision as to which one. Now, if it decides to pump to your stomach, what'll your muscles do? Cramp up.... Vice versa, you don't digest properly which could lead to other health problems. Both stomach & muscles at the same time, you'll have both problems.

Any questions?

Have a nice weekend...

Leave it to the Italians to be stupid about one of their primary industries when they want the Germans to help bail them out.

Glad I visited Roma in the past.

Can I take a piss, as long as I don't stop?

why should I leave the USA to visit another country?

Because there's lots of wonderful 'stuff' that you don't find in the US?

For the lie of me, I don't know why anyone would travel outside of the country these days. Every where you look, someone is hating on Americans.

This just isn't really that true. Me and my wife (american) went back to my home in england this summer. Lots of people we ended up meeting were very happy to talk to her about all kinds of stuff. Most people have no problems with individual americans, unless they're the obnoxious type.

Don't mention this story to Michelle or Barrack! They might get ideas about how to increase revenue by banning fast food from all government property (National Parks, IRS offices, ICE locations, etc...)! They would charge anyone who ate while waiting in the huge lines at the DMV or nervously snacking before they get in to an IRS audit. This is brilliant, we can increase the cash that liberals can spend on their pet projects, force Americans to eat less, and control even more parts of our lives!

The Italian government, which isn't necessarily as cash strapped as Greece, but along with Spain has been suggested to be at risk wrt Euro zone financial woes, probably just wants another source of revenue. And what better way then fines which are stupid by nature...

And it isn't like the Romans wouldn't have eaten at the collosium... If they spent an entire day there watching the gladitorial compatitions, watching crimminals charged with capital offences get publically executed, and what not; they probably got hungry, same as we would. And if they got hungry, then they probably ate. He'll we're talking about a society where the wealthy among them would purge themselves between courses, and after their bit of what we today would consider an eating disorder, would start eating some more. I highly doubt they have issues like the mayor Bloomberg's of the world who want to decide "how healthy" people should eat, or what have you...

Howy61, consider this. They ask the Germans to bail them out, and now they introduce a new fine... See a connection here? Fines mean more revenue... Taxes aren't the only way governments can pull money in...

Some towns that are cash strapped have also been known to set up speeding traps, introduce ticket quotas, and the like. It's another way to get money out of people, and Italy wouldn't be alone in that. Sad to say, but it occurs in the states a lot... There's one small town in Texas I've heard, where the speed limit goes from 75 mph to 40 mph rather abruptly. There's 2 police cars in the town and they're each hidden at either end of the town, to catch "speeders" who just didn't happen to reduce their speed that quickly, comming in. And they make a fair bit of revenue for their town, from those just going to pass through, having been given no time to reduce their speed yet (in terms of time or distance) before getting nailed one after another...

I'm not so sure we'd be seeing this, if Italy wasn't in financial trouble, tbh :o

JEffor...yeah...and hardly anything still exists from even 1000 years ago. Becuase, you see...the inhabitants of North America were not exactly known for their engineering skills. Not to mention most of the culture of the Naitve americans was wiped out WITH the Native Americans

vball14,

I hate to repeat myself, but The Pueblas of the American Indian have been continuously occupied for 1,500 years. There are huge Indian Mounds that were built 54,000 years ago. America's Stonhenge, in Salem NH, is at least 4,000 years old.

There are also cave paintings that are thousands of years old, which show that Art has been around a long time in the Americas.

Now their only problem would be making the tourists PAY - as was said in the article - most (all?) will take the notice home as a souvenir. Non-Europeans make for a rather difficult "collection".

By the way Sing - you mean 5400? The trans-Bering ice bridge migration from the Russian arctic to the Americas didn't happen until about 9000 years ago. Also - the cliff dwellers (in the native language ANASAZI - "ancient enemy") were more than likely Mexicans (and cannibals, to boot). The "pot marks" on human bones provide good evidence of "eating long pork" and the sharpened teeth were not common in the area but WERE common among the Mexican tribes

canary

Where did you get your numbers? Google Beringia. Or Native American. The LATEST that the migration occurred, according to dating remains, was 12,000 years ago. 9,000 years ago, the area was already under water. Radio-carbon dating places Clovis points between 10,800 and 11,050 years old.

I stand by my statements and I specifically said "The Americas" to include the civilizations located Central or South America as well as North America. Take a college history course sometime instead of referring to your 1965 grade school text.

I have been all over the world, and with the exception of Moscow in 1988, Rome is the most filthy city I've ever been in. They got bigger sanitation problems than just a few tourists eating ice cream at the Trevi Fountain.

Sounds like a money maker to me. 50 EU a pop. The pope will have lots of money to pay

his law suits created by he ban of pedophiles in the Vatican

And once again Jeffor, you would be wrong.

Yea, and pissing off the German tourists isn't too bright either.

Germany owns Italy.......along with the rest of Southern Europe.

Italy will never have a short supply of tourists clogging the Spanish Steps and traveling to Pisa to take their unique "holding up the tower" photos. It's an historic country that sees millions of tourists every year regardless of these petty laws.

I doubt this will dent Rome's tourism industry. As they say, most people won't even bother paying the fine.

If they didn't make there sandwiches so damn sloppy and the bread so crumbly they wouldn't have the problem.

How about an old favorite, rats on a stick, or is that only at the finer restaurants ?

Maybe if they banned those carts selling food????

.........errr guess those would be locals and not money laden tourists and reducing amount of income to the vendors of these potential crumbs etc. that get dropped around would not be a popular thing then. But it is strange to be OK to drop those crumbs while walking but an offense that can get fined while sitting.............must not want people to eat and rest, ...............????

I was thinking that very same thing. It's not about keeping the monuments clean--it's about raising money.

BTW, the U.S. shouldn't get so smug, because we see the same argument here, as many communities have removed their red light cameras because they actually did their purpose--to prevent people from running red lights. People stop running red lights, and then people can't catch them and find them.

They will send in peacekeepers with folded up napkins, ROEs require a security council vote to unfold.

/

Chewing on your panino? Do we have a Italian speaker in the house?

Makes sense to me, grazie for the accurate info!!

Geez, I guess you don't get out much Steven100. That is the style. Guess were you come from you don't get to see the young girls of today.

Maybe I need glasses,It looked like you wrote you were looking at her boots,now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that...

I am cracking up because one of the weird, random thoughts that popped into my head as I was trying to fall asleep last night was "Why on earth do women wear those hideous boots in any weather, and to wear them with shorts and skirts makes them look like the trashy bar hos in South Orange County." I think they are awful, and my men friends that I brought it up with agree. The concensus is women who wear them are usually the "one night stand" type, not a "have a conversation" type.

So ????

Agreed. So???

Steven100,

The one girl appears to be wearing hiking boots - very practical if you intend to spend all day walking. The other girl appears to be wearing some lightweight boots that are not that heavy.

That is the fashion...Probably Uggs boots. But not the point.

Get a map outDantheManofVegas. The Steps are not in Vatican City. Ignorant American.

Plus, this just affects Rome. The Vatican is it's own sovereign entity.

Americans abroad are so stupid. No wonder Americans are known as the "Ugly American" They have no regard for anything. One thing I find totally fascinating is that no matter where you go in Europe you never see gum on the sidewalks. In the USA our sidewalks are covered with old gum. How disgusting.

@Anderson-656479

You arrogant flaming poof. You've made a number of statements showing disdain for America and Americans. If you would prefer to live elsewhere let me know where I can visit you. I'll help you pack to move the hell out. Your kind is not needed nor wanted in this country.

Europe=Dollars yes Americans no.

I think the problem actually is the unusual fixation people have with preserving this crap, not with some poor tourist who was just trying to fix his shoes.

It says a lot about our own age that countless amounts of money and effort are burned cataloging and preserving worthless artifacts, but that the actual legaacy of classical antiquity - a legacy of courage, bravery, curiousity, and hostility to serfdom and slavery - is basically forgotten if not outright discouraged.

The ancients themselves didn't have any problem discarding this stuff. I don't see why we should either.

Anderson,

Let me guess, you live in some big nasty city and never leave it then judge the entire country on what you see there. I have been all over this country, and there are many beautiful places - some in cities some in the middle of nowhere. I've also seen disgusting cities and garbage heaps in the middle of the woods.

Feel free to leave, but please do not call yourself an American when you go.

KIRU: Anderson is probably only speaking from experience. If he is a frequent traveler overseas, he watches people from the U.S. being loud, rude, boisterous, etc. in places that the locals notice. That's why we have a reputation of being the "ugly American". I live sometimes for 30 to 90 days at a time overseas and it does embarrass me when I watch it.

There are idiots in every nation. Humanity as a whole does some pretty stupid stuff. When you show disdain for one nationality, your bigotry is showing. Do Americans do stupid stuff? Sure. Do others? You bet they do.

@ Anderson No gum, maybe, but I couldn't take a step in Paris without the risk of stepping in dog sh*t. How disgusting!

anderson go ahead and leave your sniveling wretched whining kind arent welcome in the US. You sound like an unhappy liberal.

Since you haven't been to Rome, I can assure you there are plenty of restaurants and patios all around the Spanish Steps without camping on them. Having a meal on the Steps is the equivalent of setting up a tent at the top of the Tower of Pisa -- you're blocking what would be a nice attraction for everyone else.

Yes, there are restaurants D, but there are also all kinds of pizza and deli places that offer maybe one stand up only table at most as they are all meant to be take out. I found Rome to have hundreds of these taking up about every other store front. I preferred to actually sit a table myself, but that is definitely a more expensive choice. An anti-littering law would make more sense.

Yes the restaurants are more expensive. We were charge 8 Euros ($12 US) each for one scoop of gelato! Our limo driver recommended this restaurant. I am certain he got a kickback. We are done "Doing Italy", preferring Sicily and Sardinia.

It is really to get rid of poorer tourists that make it more crowded and common for the rich ones. Its a snob appeal thing Italians are very into how a thing looks more than sense or actual function like giving tickets that will not be paid!

Yes, and the only rude, greasy looking pieces of trash are the Italians... You people treat your own country like one big trash can. Your nothing but a bunch of rude, snobby, filthy mama's boys. Go back to living with your parents until you die.

Not to mention the only people you see in Europe with money are Americans.

Thank You John - Been to Rome-Athens and they are both beautiful places. Found that the older generation(s) are polite but the younger are rude and feel entitled. That attitude is not contained within a single border but seems pretty universal.

Common courtesy has become an uncommon commodity.

And what are you, Slim Jim?

Fines for littering make sense not fines for sitting and eating.

his comment is smarter than yours, plork, nowhere in the article does it say anything about litter and garbage being a problem, just people loitering around while eating. Apparently you can loiter without eating though. If the Italians had any brains they'd put up signs pointing out designated areas where people could eat.

ug1 - there's no need to put up designated "eating" areas, there are hundreds of restaurants all around the Steps. Tourists simply buy food and camp on the Steps rather than stay at the restaurant.

Vegas only pleases those with money to burn and when that money is gone see how long it takes before they quit pleasing you

Unfortunately I think the "if you aren't rich we don't want you" line of thinking is at work here.

If it were about getting money they would fine you on the spot instead of giving you a ticket.

If it was about loitering they would fine you for sitting without eating.

If it was about trash then they would fine EVERYONE for littering and not let you walk through the monuments eating food in wrappers and with water bottles.

This is a gentrification program to get rid of the poorer tourists who can't afford to eat every meal in a restaurant. The Spanish Steps though famous are used to walk on and are hardly fragile.

I live here IsItreal and they don't do that anymore,you can still eat and drink in public but our "relics" are 50 years old tops. (except for a few of the gals on Freemont street)