NPR

Paninis Are Pa-nonos: Mayor Of Florence Takes Aim At Tourist Picnicking

The Italian mayor says hosing down the steps to discourage snackers and their litter is "gentler" than levying fines. The city's historic sites, he says, deserve "a little bit of respect."
The steps of Florence's Basilica of Santa Croce are a popular gathering spot for tourists visiting the historic Italian city. / ALBERTO PIZZOLI / Getty Images

Florence has taken aim at picnicking tourists. The problem: visitors who choose to dine on the steps of the Italian city's historic churches.

Earlier this week, just before lunchtime, the city began hosing down the front steps of a basilica where sightseers like to sit and eat. Mayor Dario Nardella's goal is to make the steps wet enough that tourists won't

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