Venice Mayor to Tourists: Stop Whining and Pay Up

The possibility of tourists ruining Venice has been widely discussed. But what if Venice is exacting its revenge?

Over the past few weeks, news of scams against visitors to the city have been ricocheting around the European press, with complaints that tourists’ naïveté and limited language skills have led to them being parted from their money in dishonest if not openly illegal ways. Exhibit A: a recent lunch for four British tourists at a place called Trattoria Casanova, near St. Mark’s Square. After the table was piled with dishes the group claims they didn’t order, the bill ended up coming to €525 ($612). This is taking a liberty, but for a tourist town, it’s sadly a case of so far, so normal. The spin in this familiar tale takes place a little higher up: Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has waded into the bill dispute—and he’s on the restaurant’s side.