Police in Venice have fined two German tourists who were caught making coffee on the steps of the Rialto bridge.<\/p>\n
The backpackers, aged 32 and 35, were fined a total of \u20ac950 (\u00a3853) for preparing coffee on a travel cooker. They were also asked to leave the city.<\/p>\n
Venice has introduced a law on a series of public order offences – including picnicking at certain sites and not wearing a shirt in public spaces.<\/p>\n
About 30 million tourists visit the city every year.<\/p>\n
The tourists from Berlin were spotted making coffee at the foot of the Rialto Bridge – the oldest of the four bridges on the Grand Canal. They were reported to police by a passerby.<\/p>\n
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said: “Venice must be respected and those impolite people who come here and do what they want must understand that. Thanks to the local police, they will be sanctioned and removed.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Those found flouting the rules will have their identities shared with the embassy of their home country.<\/p>\n Venetians have long complained about mass tourism in the city.<\/p>\n Last December,\u00a0the city won approval to introduce an entry fee\u00a0<\/a>of up to \u20ac10 for short-stay tourists.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Tourists](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/CC01\/production\/_107952225_venice1.jpg\")
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