An idyllic Italian beauty spot has been branded ‘Gotham City’ by its own mayor as he wages war on tourists dining by the lake.
Como, long famed for its postcard-perfect piazzas and sweeping Alpine views – has been overrun by sprawling restaurant terraces that officials say are ruining the historic landscape.
Mayor Alessandro Rapinese has ordered fixed outdoor dining structures to be ripped out by April 9, declaring the town had descended into ‘chaos’ after years of unchecked expansion.
He has taken particular aim at bulky wooden platforms with awnings and glass walls that line the waterfront, saying they obscure the lake that has drawn visitors for centuries.
‘Como is a beautiful place handed down to us from Roman times,’ he said. ‘We were allowing people to put anything they wanted in front of it.
The crackdown has already seen most of the town’s permanent terraces demolished, with local media dubbing the move a ‘massacre’ of the so-called dehors.
Around 400 bars and restaurants in the city offer outdoor seating, but only a small number in the historic centre had fixed structures – some of which had stood for decades.
Under the new rules, businesses must instead use temporary coverings such as umbrellas, which can only be in place between April and September in line with national regulations.
Further restrictions have tightened what restaurants can put outside, with limits on seating space and a uniform style imposed.
Metal chairs painted charcoal grey are now required, while benches, sofas, decorations and even brightly coloured tablecloths have been banned.
Rapinese insisted the changes were needed to restore order, taking a swipe at garish displays and oversized advertising props cluttering the streets.
But critics say the measures risk stripping the town of its charm and hurting local businesses already grappling with mass tourism.
Opposition politicians have warned restaurants could be forced to cut staff, while owners say the loss of outdoor seating will hit earnings hard.
One historic pastry shop, open since 1960, has already been forced to remove a 30-seat terrace that had stood for more than two decades, leaving uncertainty over its future.
The row comes amid a wider clampdown across Italy on outdoor dining that boomed during the pandemic, when rules were relaxed to help hospitality survive.
Cities including Florence, Rome and Milan have all introduced tighter controls, as officials try to balance tourism with preserving historic streets.
For now, however, Como’s mayor appears determined to press ahead – with little prospect of a reversal unless voters decide otherwise at the next election.
