Illegal Tourist Transport Under Scrutiny in Florence’s Historic Core

Florence Municipal Police have stepped up enforcement against unauthorised tourist transport services operating in the city’s historic centre, with a series of inspections leading to the seizure of three vehicles and fines totalling €820.

The operation focused on the UNESCO-listed city centre and involved officers from the Municipal Police Administrative Unit and the Porta Romana district station, working both in uniform and in plain clothes.

At Piazzale Michelangelo, officers stopped two unauthorised electric caddies carrying tourists. According to the city administration, the vehicles were operating without the permits required under Florence’s regulations for tourist transport services. The drivers were each fined €160, and both vehicles were seized pending confiscation.

A separate inspection in Via dei Benci led to the seizure of a Fiat 500 “spiaggina” being used to transport tourists. Municipal police said the vehicle type is not authorised under the city’s regulations for tourist transport. The operator received a €500 fine and the vehicle was also seized pending confiscation.

Another violation was recorded on Ponte Santa Trinita, where officers found an authorised caddy parked for an extended period without passengers while operating on one of the city’s designated tourist transport routes. The driver was fined €160 for breaching operational rules.

The inspections are part of ongoing efforts by the city to regulate tourist transport activities in Florence’s historic centre, one of the most heavily visited urban areas in Italy.

City officials said further checks are planned in the coming weeks, arguing that unauthorised operators can affect public safety, traffic management and the overall quality of life in the historic centre, while creating unfair competition for businesses that comply with local regulations.

(Cover photo by g_u via Flickr)

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