Florence to restrict outdoor terrace seating at restaurants

Florence will ban outdoor dining in 50 streets amid a surge of tourists in the famous Italian city.

Many of the city’s grand piazzas and famous Renaissance statues will no longer be viewable from a dining table as the city council appears set on imposing restrictions.

It is believed that these restrictions will help to reduce congestion and rubbish.

Famous landmarks that will have outdoor seating banned include the Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale degli Uffizi and the Uffizi Gallery.

Seventy-three other locations will receive strict guidance on whether outdoor seating can include umbrellas or plexiglass barriers.

Regulations will be decided by councillors over the next 30 days on whether plastic weather covering should be eliminated for grand squares including piazzas Signoria, Santa Maria Novella, Pitti and Repubblica.