“Portofino Introduces Red Zones to Limit Tourist Crowds – Fine for Violation”

Tourist spots tend to have one problem, tourists. A lot of people in a small area, who also spend time taking pictures, usually cause considerable problems for the locals. They’re blocking the streets, they’re an obstacle for emergency vehicles, people getting on boats, so we could keep going. Italian town Portofino, which has only around 500 inhabitants, decided to put an end to it. It introduced so-called red zones in two parts of the city, where long-term stays are prohibited. This ban was introduced over the Easter weekend and will last until the end of the tourist season, which means October 15. It will always be valid from morning to 6 o’clock in the afternoon.

Violation of the ban may result in a fine of 68 to 275 EUR, which corresponds to 1,600 to 6,500 CZK. The town’s mayor, Matteo Viacava, says the new regulation is meant to allow all visitors to enjoy Portofino, but at the same time ensure safety. Other restrictions on the excessive number of tourists were introduced in the past, for example, by Naples (one-way traffic on some streets for pedestrians) or Venice. Let’s also remind you that #portofino has almost 1.26 million pictures on Instagram.