If there is going to be a ban then they need to stop vendors around the tourist sites. We were in Rome there vendors right out the door of the vacatian museum, McDonalds is across the Spanish Steps and eaterys next to the Trevi Fountain. There is food everywhere - it is how they make their money.

Posted By Mary Ann on July 17, 2008, 3:24 PM

I predict a revolt by hungry Roman pigeons.

Posted By Marilyn Terrell on July 17, 2008, 4:12 PM

I was there April 15-25th 2008 and there are Vendors everywhere..Like Mary Ann stated. This is just stupid.. there is a Gelato place next to the Spanish steps that is packed.. I mean packed with locals.. and a few tourist.. but it only has a few places to sit. If they dont like that.. they should just stop the vendors from selling there.

Posted By chao_sweetie on July 17, 2008, 4:25 PM

LOL. ARE YOU KIDDNG ME! I am getting ready to go to Rome and I had planned to eat a gelato on the Spanish Steps. I guess my gelato could cost me an extra 80 bucks. What are they thinking??

Posted By Diana on July 17, 2008, 8:01 PM

I guess its more acceptable for the Austrian Soccer team to do the full monty on the Spanish Steps. (see utube)
but, Lord forbid we should be hungry or thirsty around Rome.

Posted By Diana on July 17, 2008, 8:04 PM

it comes and goes: 20 years ago, Rome had another "decorum" law banning bare torso, and a cop signaled me in sign language that I had to put on the T-shirt. Other cities in the US have some similar laws: for example, in Colorado Springs downtown park, it is forbidden to use curse words when talking, and apparently skateboarding teenagers were cited by an undercover police officer. But what happened this year in Rome is that people really got fed up with the invasion of Eastern Europeans, that, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain, came west to find better lives. Some (not all, I must say) are really the few bad apples that make it all look bad, and routinely harrassed, attacked, robbed, assaulted. That is why for the first time in 70 years, an otherwise left-winged population voted into office a right-wing political figure with a security-based platform. It is all about law enforcement: there were laws before banning littering, and they got ignored. Why? the previous municipal administrations were more focused in courting hollywood celebrities for the novel Rome Film Festival, all this while hundreds of youngsters gathered at street drinking "communal spots" to leave bottles that unavoidably got kicked around leaving broken glass etc etc with the usual following of protests by local residents, laments that got ignored. Years later, the shock of a surprise win by right-wing politicians at the April elections. And now these "public decorum" laws. We shall see how it plays out... Oh, btw, people got killed. Yes, killed. Once, in August 2007, and then in January 2008, on the bicycle trails. The victims where recreational cyclists, and the attackers were migrants from eastern europe looking for a quick loot.

Posted By alexio spaghettio on July 18, 2008, 8:41 AM

I had read this new ban on public consumption earlier and wondered...my husband and I are taking a long-planned trip to Rome soon (we have saved for YEARS.) and had, of course, planned to cut costs by carrying around snacks and our water bottles. Any good tips on where/what/how to eat cheap and well in Rome?

Posted By tori on July 21, 2008, 12:28 PM

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. Part of the fun of being in bella Italia is that everyone breaks all the rules all the time. Perhaps they should install many more trash cans so people would not litter, if litter is the problem. If the problem is that visitors and natives aren't going to the ristorantes to mangiare, then perhaps the food police should check out what the complainers are serving! Unfortunately ALL Roman eating establishments are not equal.

Posted By Maddi on July 21, 2008, 3:05 PM

In the square directly in front of the Pantheon there are 3 ristorantes with outside tables, a coffee bar with outside tables and a McDonalds with outside tables. There also is a deli where you can buy sandwiches and drinks. All this within 50 feet of the oldest continually used building in the world. Are they going to close down these establishments because they are too close? What about the ristorantes in the Piazza Navona? They're not near a major tourist attraction, they're IN a major tourist attraction! And by the way all the tourists don't go home in October. January and February are the only months without hordes of sightseers. I guess they figure that it will be too cold for us to eat outside after October. Tell that to the Romans!

Posted By Peter Stevens on July 21, 2008, 5:56 PM

In Italy the name of the game is to flaunt the laws and be stylish, and they admire people who can flaunt the laws stylishly, calling them "furbo", or clever. You can't be stylish at the Spanish Steps when they are SO covered with people sitting down to eat- they should be called the Spanish Benches at those times- that you can't even see, much less walk on them.

On the other hand, have you ever seen the Polizia try to catch the immigrants selling phony designer leather goods? If not, think Keystone Cops and you'll have a good picture, and an idea of how well it can be enforced. There are different Police for everything, who can't act on anything out of their field. If you have to eat near these areas, be discrete about it and don't congregate where lots of others are doing it- there's no safety in numbers, only bait for the Guardia (policeman) of the right type who CAN fine you.

Posted By Bella on July 22, 2008, 6:56 AM

This is just like the "No Fumare" signs in Italian train stations.

The only people you see smoking in the Naples train station are the local cops, the Carabinieri, and the Guardia di Finanza.

At least the cops have spiffy unforms in Italy.

Posted By Rich on July 22, 2008, 10:08 AM

Please email me info about this... When Italia stops being a haven and heaven for cyclists, they've really lost it.
JILL ZB
"people got killed. Yes, killed. Once, in August 2007, and then in January 2008, on the bicycle trails. The victims where recreational cyclists, and the attackers were migrants from eastern europe looking for a quick loot.
Posted By alexio spaghettio on July 18, 2008, 8:41 AM

Posted By JILL Z B on July 23, 2008, 8:04 AM

This article just says that law prohibits people from eating NEAR a site. What does near constitute?
Is it a matter of meters? Will there signs indicating where food is not allowed?

Tori - you can still carry snacks and water. Just don't eat or drink in the prohibited areas. I'm guessing that you'll be carrying some sort of bag. Keep the food and drinks in the bag.

Posted By gina vastola on July 27, 2008, 5:49 PM

I don't know about this ban. I am in Rome right now on vacation and we've been snacking like crazy people and haven't seen hide nor hair of a ticket in place. I don't know how they'd enforce it anyone with all the restaurants and tavolo caldos and gelaterias.

Posted By Kristen on July 29, 2008, 9:05 AM

In 2002 my husband and I visited Rome. We had a gelato and proceeded to sit on the Spanish Steps. Even back then it was forbidden - a police officer signaled me not to lick my ice cream on the steps. I had to STAND on the ground below. After consulting my Fodor's travel guide, I noticed this is a recurring theme. If you walk up to a deli and order a sandwich you cannot sit there. You must be seated and waited upon to enjoy a rest. It was this way everywhere in Rome.

Posted By J S on August 18, 2008, 11:14 PM