Tourists behaving badly is not limited to Italy. However, there are more of these incidents happening here than anywhere else. Every year, especially closer to summer, there is another story of someone doing something stupid that angers the locals.
I’m not sure if that’s because I live in Italy and am more attuned to those stories, or because there are more of them here. Last month, there were numerous incidents of tourists misbehaving, making headlines not only in local media but also in international outlets. But that is nothing new.
I came across an article from CNN titled “Tourists in Italy are behaving badly this year,” and it took me a few sentences in to realize this article wasn’t recent. It was from 2023. Oddly enough, the incidents were almost identical. People just don’t learn.
How are tourists misbehaving in Italy?
When it comes to tourists doing stupid things, there is no shortage of examples. We all have experienced the rowdy, drunk and uncouth varieties of visitors at some point or another. That’s not limited to Italy. Unfortunately, there are also many of them doing things fully aware of their actions. Some of the examples from the 2023 CNN article:
- Carving their initials into the wall of the Colosseum
- Swimming in UNESCO-protected canals in Venice
- Stealing gondolas in Venice
- Breaking into historic sites
- Driving down the Spanish Steps on scooters and in cars
- Smashing priceless sculptures
- And vandalizing one of the world’s iconic monuments
This is simply mind-boggling. And it’s not just people from certain countries or in a particular age group. Unfortunately, stupidity, ignorance and entitlement run across all cultures. It’s important to clarify this as many of you might think, “Oh, they must have been from this country,” or “they must have been teenagers.” Sadly, you’d be wrong.
Most recent examples of tourists behaving badly
I would like to say that many of these incidents were accidental or, for some reason, unavoidable. However, that would be wrong. There are many examples of visitors who simply do not care about their surroundings or are only interested in themselves. So what happened recently?
- We had more tourists who decided to take a dip in the Trevi Fountain and got fined.
- A couple was caught on camera damaging a Swarovski crystal chair in a museum in Verona, and then they fled.
- Then there was another tourist who damaged a painting at the Uffizi Gallery for a selfie.
- Another visitor ransacked the altar at the Vatican.
- While another tourist found himself impaled on the spiked fence outside the Colosseum after he tried to climb it for a better view. It took about 20 minutes for help to arrive and free him.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that visitors aren’t just misbehaving at tourist spots. In 2022, a man became agitated after being denied a meeting with Pope Francis. He allegedly threw two ancient Roman busts from their shelves. This damage was irreversible.
This year, a woman had a meltdown at the Milan airport after being told her carry-on luggage exceeded the weight limit. While her actions didn’t damage any priceless art, they still made headlines.
I’m not qualified to speak to why these people do what they do. There could be some mental health issues (in the last two examples) that have played a role, but we don’t fully know.
Why it happens
People do stupid things in other parts of the world, but there seems to be a lot more of this happening in Italy. You can definitely attribute some of that to over-tourism. When you have so many people visiting popular places, it’s easier for accidents to happen. Large crowds also make it more challenging to keep an eye on everyone.
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People do stupid things in other parts of the world, but there seems to be a lot more of this happening in Italy. You can definitely attribute some of that to over-tourism. When you have so many people visiting popular places, it’s easier for accidents to happen. Large crowds also make it more challenging to keep an eye on everyone.
Some of the reasons include lack of awareness, stupidity and the “I’m on a holiday” mindset. For many, it can feel that since they are in a different country, there are no consequences to their actions. Think of the “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” mentality.
There is something about Italy, in particular, that gives people the perception that Italy is a place where rules don’t apply. They fetishize Italy based on movies and want their vacation to be just like what they see in movies. No matter how ridiculous.
The perception of Italy
In the CNN article, Nicola Bassano, a film historian, explains that movies such as “La Dolce Vita,” the 1960 classic by Federico Fellini, in which Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg jump into the Trevi Fountain to kiss, have created a false idea of Italy abroad. I would say there are many more, but you get the point.
“Italy is seen and judged by foreign tourists – and particularly Americans – through stereotypes that are rooted in films, especially ‘La Dolce Vita’ and ‘Roman Holiday,’ and through the image that foreigners have formed of us,” he says. “It is seen as a place devoid of rules and laws, where everything is art and therefore nothing is art.”
Much like Shakespeare’s plays, Italy can seem very fantastical. Tourists end up treating it like an amusement park where nothing seems real. However, it’s very real to Italians, who take great pride in their history.
According to Bassano, “tourists don’t know how to relate to the artistic heritage because they have no relation with our history – so they refer to their cultural imagination, and therefore to our cinema.” I think he’s spot on.
How to be a better traveller
So now that we’ve covered what not to do as a tourist, let’s look at some practical tips for how not to piss locals off and not to destroy priceless objects.
- Dress appropriately (especially in churches)
- Don’t touch things you shouldn’t. If there is a rope, or a barrier or any kind of visible signage, stay away.
- Respect quiet zones, don’t treat monuments like playgrounds.
- Support local businesses, not just tourist traps.
- Learn a few Italian words—it shows effort and respect
Why does it matter? For one, bad tourists ruin it for everyone else. Second, it’s common sense. Would you act like this in your country? Your hometown? Would you disrespect cultural and historical sites where you are?
I really wish people would look at Italy and Italians as normal people, not some dreamy fantasy or a caricature from movies and shows. Get to know the locals, be respectful. Don’t damage things. You’ll have a better time. I gurantee it.
