Support truly
independent journalism
A female tourist in Florence has caused a splash after stripping off topless for a swim in a historic fountain.
The English-speaking woman angered residents of the Italian city after she swam “mother nature-style” around the 15th-century fountain at Piazza Santo Spirito.
In video footage shared by Welcome to Florence on Instagram, the tourist can be seen wearing only black trousers, laughing with friends and encouraging bystanders to “come in”.
None of the people sitting around the basin appeared to join the unidentified woman in the fountain.
Online reactions to the clip of the brazen act condemned the “disgusting” woman.
One Italian Instagram user said: “Shame should come back in fashion.”
Several wrote that “disgusting” foreign tourists can “get away with anything”.
“Good job, in that fountain you wash only bums and dogs,” mocked another.
An American commenter echoed the Florentine resident’s disgust: “This is disgraceful and disrespectful. As an American who has had the privilege of visiting Florence many times, I am appalled by this. This girl should be locked up in jail to teach her how to behave!”
It’s not the first tourist offence in Florence this summer.
Earlier this month, an unidentified woman, believed to be inebriated, was filmed simulating sex with a life-size statue of Bacchus, the god of wine, pleasure and fertility, in the city.
The tourist could face a lifetime ban from the city if identified, in accordance with a law that forbids any form of mistreatment of cultural heritage in Italy.
Patrizia Asproni, the president of Confcultura, an association that promotes Italy’s cultural heritage, was quoted as saying by the BBC that these “repeated shows of rudeness and barbarity” take place “because everyone feels entitled to do whatever they want with impunity”.
Ms Asproni also advocated for implementing the “Singapore model”, which involves strict checks, hefty fines, and zero tolerance for misconduct.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
