Florence is set to introduce a wide-ranging ban on outdoor dining in its historic centre after residents complained that restaurant terraces were blocking narrow streets and damaging the city’s appearance.
Under rules coming into force next year, outdoor seating will be prohibited on 50 streets within the UNESCO-protected area.
A further 73 locations will face stricter regulations, including limits on umbrellas, barriers and weather coverings.
City officials said the measures were aimed at reducing congestion and protecting Florence’s cultural heritage, which they say has come under pressure from the post-pandemic boom in outdoor dining.
Outdoor dining took off in Italy in 2020 after Italian mayors relaxed rules to help restaurants survive Covid-19 restrictions.
Restaurateurs warned the new rules would hit businesses already struggling with rising costs.
Daniela, owner of Ristorante Pizzeria Il David in Piazza della Signoria – one of the areas affected – said outdoor tables were ‘fundamental’ for her restaurant, which seats about 60 customers outside.
Residents, however, have urged the council to go further, telling senior officials that terraces, fencing and menu boards have turned central streets into ‘an obstacle course’.
Some neighbourhood groups have written to the mayor demanding caps on the number of outdoor tables allowed.
The blacklist includes major tourist sites such as the Ponte Vecchio and the Piazzale degli Uffizi.
Councillors will decide separate rules for Piazza della Signoria, Santa Maria Novella, Piazza Pitti and Piazza della Repubblica within 30 days.
Plastic weather coverings will be phased out across the city, and restaurants may be required to use turf-like green carpet to mark the edges of permitted seating areas.
Florence’s tourism chief, Jacopo Vicini, said the changes were designed to protect public spaces and ‘make the city more liveable’.
But heritage experts argue the plans do not address widespread breaches of existing regulations, including limits on the proportion of outdoor seating.
Critics also warned the move could accelerate the decline of traditional Florentine restaurants serving local specialities, with some fearing they will be replaced by tourist-oriented venues.
