Florence Bans, Tightens Rules On Outdoor Dining To Protect UNESCO Heritage Streets

Italy's Florence is known around the world as the birthplace of the Renaissance, and the city is celebrated for its stunning architecture and historic streets. Walking through Florence, visitors see its famous piazzas, old churches and beautiful Renaissance buildings. The city has now taken steps to regulate how these public spaces are used.

On February 11, Florence introduced new rules for outdoor dining that mark the biggest update to public space regulations in 15 years. These rules were created in collaboration between the Municipality of Florence and the Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, Florence Daily News reported.

The goal is to protect the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from visual clutter and modern additions that have appeared over the past few years.

Under the new regulations, outdoor dining is completely banned on 60 of Florence's most famous streets. This includes prime areas near landmarks like Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale degli Uffizi and Via Roma.

On 73 additional streets, dining is still allowed but with strict rules. The city has categorised outdoor setups into five types. The simplest, Type A, allows only tables and chairs with small umbrellas. At the other end, Type D permits fully enclosed and roofed structures.

A new category, B1, has been introduced for partial enclosures with transparent side panels during the winter months.

The rules also prohibit the use of plastic materials such as tarps, sheets and awnings. Advertising, bright-coloured lights and branded décor are no longer allowed in these historic areas. Instead, café and restaurant owners are encouraged to use plants and seasonal flowers to decorate their outdoor spaces.

The new rules have not gone down well with everyone. Some long-standing cafés and restaurants are pushing back through legal action. For instance, Caffè Giubbe Rosse, a café that has been part of Florence's history since 1897, is contesting the regulations, according to Travel + Leisure.

In addition, four other business owners around Piazza della Repubblica have also taken legal steps. They claim "disparity of treatment" compared to other establishments in the same area.

In just the first 20 days after the regulations took effect, municipal authorities and local police conducted inspections and issued 30 fines to businesses that did not comply, Florence Daily News mentioned.