Another Popular Tourist Hotspot Wants To Ban Airbnb

It was only a matter of time before critical mass hit Europe’s city-centered tourism economy. Over 60% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas by 2030, according to the World Health Organization, while an estimated 1.8 billion tourists will cross country borders by the same time period.

Now, civic leaders at some popular European destinations have had enough, and are putting curbs on tourism travel.

In Florence, Italy, legislators are rolling out plans to outlaw short-term rentals, including Airbnb’s. The new ban is expected to easily pass a Sept. 13 vote and go into law by November.

“We are witnessing a progressive growth in the influx of tourists which has become even more pronounced since the pandemic,” said Florence Mayor Dario Nardella, who also cited the “very important” bill coming out of the city’s legislature.

City officials say the short-term rental ban is necessary to secure Florence’s historic neighborhoods and hopefully reduce rising rental costs.

“We are putting a simple ban in the UNESCO area to meet our responsibilities of protecting the cultural and material identity of the centro storico, and to dampen the effect of rent increases across the entire city – which are directly linked to the boom of short-term tourist rentals,” Nardella said.

“We have rolled up our sleeves because for too long we’ve been asking for regulation that never happens,” he added.

Florence is hardly alone.

In Vienna, Austria, a new city mandate bars homeowners from renting out their homes more than 90 days annually. The historic city had established some piece-meal measures to block short-term rentals in some sections Vienna, but the new rule covers the entire metro area.

In Paris, France, city officials will limit homeowners to a 120 day per-year unit rental window. Homeowners who wish to rent their properties will also have to register their property with the city. Paris regulatory agencies will also get more aggressive about tracking down homeowners who exceed the mandated rental schedule and issuing hefty fines.

Source: https://www.thestreet.com/author/brian-oconnell

Florence Bans New Airbnb Vacation Rentals In Italian City’s Historic Center

The city of Florence on Thursday announced an immediate ban on new short-term private vacation rentals in the Renaissance city’s historic center, part of an effort to draw full-time residents back to one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.

Mayor Dario Nardella called the ban “daring” but legally defensible.

“If we don’t try to take politically disruptive actions, no one makes a move,” Nardella said, referring to expectations that the Italian government would adopt a plan that so far allows only Venice to cap the number of days a property can be rented out at 120.

“We are tired of announcements,” Nardella said. “The problem has become structural.”

Students in Italian cities, including Florence, Milan and Rome, have been camping out in tents on campuses to protest a lack of affordable housing. At the same time, art cities like Florence and Venice have seen their housing stocks depleted by short-term rentals, defined as covering any period less than 30 days.

Nardella said the Florence government would not go after the 8,000 short-term private rentals already operating in the city’s historic center, an area under UNESCO protection as a historic treasure that includes the Uffizi galleries and the Ponte Vecchio. The city as a whole has about 11,000 short-term private rentals.
Instead, the city plans to offer a tax incentive to property owners who convert their places back to long-term rentals. Under the plan, property taxes on a second home would be canceled for up to three years, potentially adding up to thousands of euros (dollars) in savings.

Source: AP

Visitors Can Now See Famed Florence Baptistry’s Mosaics Up Close

Visitors to one of Florence’s most iconic monuments — the Baptistry of San Giovanni, opposite the city’s Duomo — are getting a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see its ceiling mosaics up close thanks to an innovative approach to a planned restoration effort.br />

br />Rather than limit the public’s access during the six-year cleaning of the vault, officials built a scaffolding platform for the art restorers that will also allow small numbers of visitors to see the ceiling mosaics at eye level.br /> br />“We had to turn this occasion into an opportunity to make it even more accessible and usable by the public through special routes that would bring visitors into direct contact with the mosaics,” Samuele Caciagli, the architect in charge of the restoration site, said.br /> br />In an interview with The Associated Press, Caciagli called the new scaffolding tour of the baptistry vault “a unique opportunity that is unlikely to be repeated in the coming decades.”br /> br />The scaffolding platform sprouts like a mushroom from the floor of the baptistry and reaches a height of 32 meters (105 feet) from the ground. Visits are set to start Feb. 24 and must be reserved in advance.br /> br />The octagonal-shaped baptistry is one of the most visible monuments of Florence. Its exterior features an alternating geometric pattern of white Carrara and green Prato marble and three great bronze doors depicting biblical scenes.br /> br />Inside, however, are spectacular mosaic scenes of The Last Judgment and John the Baptist dating from the 13th century and created using some 10 million pieces of stone and glass over 1,000 square meters of dome and wall.br /> br />The six-year restoration project is the first in over a century. It initially involves conducting studies on the current state of the mosaics to determine what needs to be done. The expected work includes addressing any water damage to the mortar , removing decades of grime and reaffixing the stones to prevent them from detaching.br /> br />″(This first phase) is a bit like the diagnosis of a patient: a whole series of diagnostic investigations are carried out to understand what pathologies of degradation are present on the mosaic material but also on the whole attachment package that holds this mosaic material to the structure behind it,” Beatrice Agostini, who is in charge of the restoration work, said.br /> br />The Baptistry of San Giovanni and its mosaics have undergone previous restorations over the centuries, many of them inefficient or even damaging to the structure. During one botched effort in 1819, an entire section of mosaics detached. Persistent water damage from roof leaks did not get resolved until 2014-2015.br /> br />Roberto Nardi, director of the Archaeological Conservation Center, the private company managing the restoration, said the planned work wouldn’t introduce any material that is foreign to the original types of stone and mortar used centuries ago.br /> br />“It is a mix of science, technology, experience and tradition,” he said.br /> br />The origins of the baptistry are something of a mystery. Some believe it was once a pagan temple, though the current structure dates from the 4th or 5th centuries.

By FRANCESCO SPORTELLI

Italy’s Uffizi Discovers Lost Frescoes During COVID Shutdown

MILAN (AP) — The Uffizi Gallery in Florence used the winter COVID shutdown to push ahead with renovations, discovering lost frescoes that will greet visitors when the leading repository of Italian Renaissance art reopens on May 4.

Uffizi director Eike Schmidt said the six months of closure were put to good use: renovating 14 new rooms that will open to the public next month, and discovering frescoes that would otherwise have remained hidden.

But he hopes that the most recent reopening — the third during the pandemic — will be the last.

“We very much hope that now we will be able to open stably and without further closures. We hope so for the museum, but we hope it also for the world and for human society,″ Schmidt said.

The previously hidden frescoes include a life-size figure of a young Cosimo II de Medici — part of the Renaissance family that commissioned the Uffizi — dating from the 1600s, as well as decorative plant motifs from the 1700s on the walls and ceiling of nearby rooms.

They are located in the museum’s west wing, which is where the new visitors’ entrance will be when the Uffizi reopens.

Schmidt said the new entrance facing the Arno River would provide “a glorious introduction” for visitors. Classic statuary will be added to the entrance in the future.

Workers also completed restoration on new rooms dedicated to 16th Century high and late Renaissance art from central and northern Italy, beyond Tuscany. They complete the sweep through art history from the Middle Ages with Giotto, to the Renaissance masters Botticelli, Raphael and Michelangelo, beyond to the counter-reformation and Venetian galleries.

“You can now seamlessly walk through, or hike through, art history if you wish to do so,″ Schmidt said.

Under the Uffizi’s new entry system, visitors will buy tickets, deposit coats and bags in the west wing and cross through a courtyard to the east wing, where they will pass through metal detectors and pick up audio guides before starting their rounds of the museum.

The number of visitors at the museum last year dropped to about a quarter of those in 2019 due to the COVID lockdowns in the spring and fall, with some 1.2 million people visiting in 2020, down from 4.4 million a year earlier.

Booking requests have already started coming in for the summer months, which the museum will be able to satisfy now that an opening date is official, Schmidt said.

With prospects for the resumption of international tourism only beginning to come into focus, Schmidt expects the gallery will operate at about half its capacity for the foreseeable future. Pre-pandemic, peak visitation reached as many as 12,000 people a day.

“Actually to visit the museum now and over the next few months will mean you will really feel even more as if you are part of the de Medici family,” Eike said. “Especially if you come in the early morning, you might be in the Botticelli room to yourself for two or three minutes before someone else arrives. That never, ever happens.”

The Uffizi has been closed since Nov. 5 except for two weeks in January when Tuscany was under Italy’s lowest level of restrictions. Italy on Monday begins a gradual reopening. Along with museums being allowed to open their doors, restaurants in low-risk zones on Monday will be allowed to offer outdoor dining before a 10 p.m. curfew.

By COLLEEN BARRY

Amazing Free Things You Can Score At Luxury Hotels

Courtesy of The Grand Amore

The best things in life are free—particularly if they're coming from some of the world’s ritziest hotels.

Even if you've already shelled out top dollar for luxurious accommodations, getting a luxe little something for free can make your stay that much sweeter. While complimentary Wi-Fi and mini bars are nice, some gratis designer duds are even better. Forget stealing those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner—these five hotels provide their guests with some of the most lavish takeaways ever:

Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii

Presidents, celebrities, and international royalty have been visiting this legendary hideaway for years—which is why they don't just offer your typical toiletries. Book a suite for access to white sand beaches, stunning ocean views, a plethora of spa services, and—yes—free Bulgari beauty products. Known for their high-end jewelry, the company made these aromatic luxury products for the most discerning of customers.

Langham Place in New York, New York

Manhattan is home to some of the world's most well-regarded works of art. While Langham Place, Fifth Avenue will gladly direct clientele to any number of galleries; the hotel has offers a little something extra for those little guests still working off an allowance. The "Little Collectors" package includes a stay in a Family Place Room or Family Suite, as well as a complimentary framed limited edition print and signed copy of David Levinthal's book, "Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty."

The Grand Amore Hotel and Spa in Florence, Italy

This 11-room luxury boutique is all about creating that ultimate personalized experience. Before arrival, guests fill out a pre-check-in questionnaire that covers everything from preferred mattress type to favorite flower. With such one-on-one attention, it's no surprise that guests receive a departure gift that is both totally unique and completely tailored to them. One couple received an antique cigarette case from the 1930s and a '60s vintage Gucci tie, while other guests have been gifted Ferragamo, Pucci, and Cavalli foulards.

The Upper House in Hong Kong, China

It might just be enough that their mini bar (or, as they call it, the "Maxi Bar") is free, but The Upper House ups the ante when guests book Studio 70 rooms. What's included: an in-room manicure or pedicure from the city's top salon—using Christian Louboutin nail polish, no less—and a complimentary card holder from the brand to stand out in that next business meeting.

Courtesy of The Gritti Palace

The Gritti Palace in Venice, Italy

Complimentary robes and slippers are always a nice added touch, but this former noble residence on Venice's Grand Canal goes one step further. Those staying in suites receive handmade slippers courtesy of the Venetian fabric company—and the palace's interior decorator—Rubelli. And, just to make sure guests feel a little more like royalty, the hotel stocks bathrooms with Acqua di Parma amenities. (That tiny bottle of shower gel retails for $74.)

 (Comment from Allen Barkus: I have a collection of Acqua di Parma  hotel amenities and had no idea they are so expensive! My collections have been donated to a women's shelter, something I hope our readers will consider doing)

by Jordanna Lippe, www.travelandleasure.com

Where To Go In Florence, Italy

By INGRID K. WILLIAMS, www.nytimes.com

In San Lorenzo, new spots with style and international flair are now attracting legions of foreigners and Florentines alike.

Abutting Florence’s main train station, San Lorenzo is a maze of mostly dingy streets that locals typically avoided, especially after dark. But since the district’s historic Mercato Centrale opened its gorgeous upper floor — a gleaming space filled with vendors of Tuscany’s finest artisanal foodstuffs— in 2014, the entire neighborhood has been looking better. By day, the streets surrounding Mercato Centrale are still packed with stalls peddling leather goods, cheap scarves and kitschy souvenirs to tourists. But at night,new spots with style and international flair are now attracting legions of foreigners and Florentines alike.

1. Photo

   

   CreditAndrea Wyner for The New York Times

   La Ménagère
   The rambling old building that housed one of Florence’s oldest housewares stores reopened last June as a genre-busting gathering place. Still called La Ménagère and spanning over 16,000 square feet, it is a cosmopolitan complex with a coffee bar, flower shop, restaurant, cocktail bar and, in a nod to the previous tenant, a retail area with handmade ceramics and housewares.
   Via de’ Ginori 8r; 39-055-075-0600; lamenagere­.it

2. Photo

   

   CreditAndrea Wyner for The New York Times

   Lo Sverso
   This convivial bar threw open its doors last May with live music, domestic craft beers on tap and creative cocktails mixed with house-made syrups and tonics.­
   Via Panicale 7/9r

3. Photo

   

   CreditAndrea Wyner for The New York Times

   Polpa
   A trend that began in Milan is evident in this “burger trattoria” opposite Mercato Centrale. It focuses on quality ingredients, like a Chianina beef burger topped with pancetta, herbs and pecorino.
   Piazza del Mercato Centrale 22r; 39-055-286-770;polpa.it/it/firenze

4. Photo

   

   CreditAndrea Wyner for The New York Times

   Sabor Cubano
   The heady scent of mint and a call of “Hola!” from behind the bar welcome visitors to this intimate cocktail bar, which was opened by a Cuban bartender. The house specialty is the mojito, best sipped at an alfresco table.
   Via Sant’Antonino 64r; 39-331-773-1536; saborcubanofirenze­.com

5. Photo

   

   CreditAndrea Wyner for The New York Times

   My Sugar
   Immediately after opening last July, this tiny artisanal gelateria catapulted to the top of best-gelato lists thanks to scrumptious flavors like melacotta (ricotta, apple, cinnamon and honey), which are made by hand daily on site. 
   Via de’ Ginori 49r; 39-393-069-6042

Experience The Timeless Artwork of Vatican City With A Private Tour Of The Worlds Largest Art Collection

With the excitement and anticipation of Pope Francis visiting the U.S. and our home town Philadelphia next year, a trip to Vatican City is highly recommended. Eternity Tours is offering small group and private tours to the Vatican to give guests exclusive access the largest art collection in the world.

With their expert guides you will discover the treasures of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, and the Vatican museums. Through Eternity Tours Vatican group tours have been designed to immerse you in the fascinating history of Rome with an exploration of its great masterpieces. While on your tour, meet Michelangelo and Raphael, marvel at the awe-inspiring basilica, and embark on a whirlwind voyage through 2,000 years of history with our passionate guides. Learn on their Vatican group tours how the world's smallest country weaves a spectacular narrative.

Other Tour Locations Offered in Rome, Florence, Siene, Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.

For more information visit: http://www.througheternity.com/  

About

Established in 1999, Through Eternity created their In-Depth tours after noticing a need for intimate tours. Rather than rushing through the Vatican museums with eyes closed and reaching the Sistine Chapel disconnected from its beauty, visitors are allowed to discover and admire what Raphael and Michelangelo studied and praised; immeasurably enhancing the experience. 15 years of success is a tell-tale sign, that Through Eternity has effectively provided quality and meaningful tours for Italian Tourists. Always inspired and motivated by their visitors, Through Eternity will deliver exceptional customer service and tours. 

9 Places You'll Never, Ever Take A Picture

Today's "travel experience" is more like a fast-paced frenzy to post your photos first... because if you don't Instagram it, it didn't happen.

Thankfully, these places are so sacred, so off-limits or just so darn beautiful that they've banned picture-taking all together. Professional photographers have snagged shots in the past, but common travelers will never, ever get a photo if they're playing by the rules.

Musée d'Orsay
Cameras are forbidden in the hallowed Parisian halls that house Van Gogh's self portrait, Degas' ballerinas and Monet's gardens. You are, however, allowed to sketch your own copies. Best of luck.

Inside the Taj Mahal
Ever wonder why you only see photos of the outside? It's not just because the exterior is so beautiful: photography is forbidden inside the main mausoleum.

Michelangelo's David
The Accademia Gallery in Florence is home to arguably one of the most famous statues of all time... too bad its guards have made a habit of yelling "NO PHOTO!"

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
It's forbidden to photograph the embalmed bodies of North Korean leaders Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il -- guards even "blow dust off" you and "clean your shoes" before you enter the palace that houses them.

Westminster Abbey
Just ooone little selfie with the grave of Charles Darwin? Charles Dickens? Sir Isaac Newton? Nope, not allowed.

The Library at the Abbey of Saint Gall 
At one of the oldest libraries in the world, you'll find the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment. Apparently, the Swiss guards make youlock up your camera before you enter.

The White House
You can get in after requesting a tour through your congressman, but don't expect to take any epic photos at the Oval Office desk.

The Sistine Chapel
Hawk-eyed guards make it nearly impossible to get a photo of the ceiling masterpiece.

The Crown Jewels
They're sparkly, but you can't snap a photo of The Imperial State Crown, Sovereign's Sceptre or the Coronation Spoon as you meander past them at the Tower of London.

Contributed by Suzy Strutner