Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn perched there without a care in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday.” But the Spanish Steps in Rome are no longer a place for sitting.
Enforcing an ordinance that took effect last month, police officers patrolled the famed stone staircase Wednesday to tell locals and visitors “Please, no sitting” on one of the Eternal City’s most recognizable landmarks.
The 137 steps built in the 1720s have long been a popular spot to people watch, hangout and pause for a breath. Rome’s official tourism website describes the steps as a passageway “but even more so a place for meeting and a pleasant rest.”
But as of July 8, sitting, eating and drinking on them is illegal and can result in a fine of up to 400 euros ($450.) The ordinance also applies to other photogenic sites in Rome, like the Trevi Fountain.
The city government said the law has been applied in full since its effective date, it wasn’t until this week that police officers in yellow vests were deployed to…
Source news reuters.com, click here to read the full news.
