Florence to Ban Rickshaws and Caddies from UNESCO Area

Florence is preparing to ban rickshaws, golf carts, and other unconventional tourist vehicles from the UNESCO historic center. The new regulation, titled Regolamento per lo svolgimento dell’attività di trasporto turistico, will be approved soon by the City Council after passing through the Municipal Executive Committee.

Developed by the departments of tourism and mobility, led respectively by Jacopo Vicini and Andrea Giorgio, the regulation aims to impose clear rules and safety standards on tourist transport in the historic center, offering greater protection both for passengers and for residents and visitors in the area.

The move is made possible by Article 91 of the Regional Tourism Law, which allows municipalities to regulate tourist transport based on principles of equity, non-discrimination, and public interest. Florence’s administration has chosen to act, citing the need to protect the city’s UNESCO-listed area, which in recent years has seen a surge in the use of informal and sometimes unsafe tourist vehicles.

Under the new rules, all forms of atypical tourist vehicles will be prohibited within the UNESCO area, with the exception of a limited number of small electric shuttles. These shuttles must meet strict requirements: they must be white, carry a maximum of 8 passengers, be registered as M1-type vehicles with all required safety features, and be operated only by licensed travel agencies. A maximum of 24 shuttles will be authorized, operating on two specific routes with approval from the city’s Mobility Directorate.

The choice of shuttles is based on national traffic regulations, which recognize them as the only atypical vehicles permitted to run on fixed tourist routes, subject to official approval. Other types of vehicles—such as modified golf carts or rickshaws—will no longer be allowed in the historic center.

According to city officials, the initiative is part of a broader effort to make Florence more livable and its tourism sector more sustainable. The regulation introduces substantial penalties for violations, including fines, suspension of authorization, and even confiscation of the vehicle in cases of repeated non-compliance or undeclared workers.

“We’re the first tourist city in Italy to adopt this kind of regulation for the historic center,” said Andrea Giorgio, city councillor for mobility. “Our goals are clear: ensuring road safety, reducing congestion in the UNESCO area, and preserving the decorum of the city’s most precious heritage zones.”

The regulation defines two shuttle routes:

Route 1: “Lungarni Ovest”

Piazzale Vittorio Veneto, Viale Fratelli Rosselli (inner lane), Il Prato, Via Curtatone, Lungarno Vespucci, Ponte alla Carraia, Lungarno Soderini, Ponte Vespucci, Lungarno Vespucci, Via Curtatone, Il Prato, Via Magenta, Corso Italia, Piazzale Vittorio Veneto.

Route 2: “Piazzale e lungarni Est”

Piazza Ferrucci (Ser Ventura Monachi side), Viale Michelangelo, Piazzale Michelangelo (stop), Viale Poggi, Via dei Bastioni, Via del Monte alle Croci, Viale Galilei, Via delle Porte Sante, Via del Monte alle Croci, Viale Galilei, Piazzale Michelangelo, Viale Michelangelo, Piazza Ferrucci.

A total of 12 shuttles will be allowed on each route. The designated stops are located at the current drop-off and pick-up areas for tourist buses: Piazzale Vittorio Veneto and Piazzale Michelangelo.

The Municipal Police will be responsible for enforcement. Unauthorized vehicles found in the UNESCO area will be impounded. Even shuttles with proper permits will be fined €500 and risk having their license suspended if they operate outside the approved routes or designated stops.

Florence’s administration sees this as a key step in aligning tourism with the city’s quality-of-life goals and long-term preservation efforts. The new framework is designed to stand up to potential legal challenges, having been thoroughly vetted by the city’s legal, transport, and economic departments in coordination with regional authorities and the municipal police.

UPDATE – July 10, 2025

Florence’s city government has taken a key step forward in regulating tourist transport within the UNESCO area. This morning, the Municipal Executive Committee (Giunta Comunale) approved the proposal for the Regulation for Tourist Transport Activities in the UNESCO Area.

The regulation, introduced by councillors Jacopo Vicini (Tourism and Economic Development) and Andrea Giorgio (Mobility), includes a ban on rickshaws, golf carts, and other atypical vehicles throughout the historic center. It allows for a maximum of 24 electric tourist shuttles, each with no more than eight passengers, operating only on two designated routes.

The measure will now be reviewed by the relevant city council commissions before moving to the full City Council for final approval and entry into force.

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