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TOURISM

Museum chief brands tourist-hit Florence a ‘prostitute’

Mass tourism has turned Florence into a "prostitute", one of the city's museum directors said Monday, sparking outrage from politicians including Italy's culture minister.

Museum chief brands tourist-hit Florence a 'prostitute'
Is 'hit and run' tourism destroying Florence? Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP.

“Once a city becomes a prostitute, it is difficult for it to become a virgin again,” Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Accademia Gallery that houses Michelangelo’s statue of David, told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

“Florence is very beautiful and I would like it to return to its citizens and not be crushed by tourism,” the German historian added, complaining about a lack of normal shops in streets filled with souvenirs.

But “it is already too late,” she said, according to La Repubblica daily, warning that if there was not an “absolute” brake on numbers, “I do not see any more hope”.

READ ALSO: Why Italy needs a national plan for sustainable tourism – before it’s too late

The Gallery later issued a statement in which Hollberg apologised “for having used the wrong words” about “a city that I love”.

“What I meant to say is that Florence must be a witness for all of Italy of an increasingly conscious tourism, not ‘hit and run’ tourism,” she said.

Tourists take pictures in front of Santa Maria Novella basilica in Florence in 2017. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

But Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said her words were “serious and offensive” to Florence and the whole of Italy — and threatened to take action, saying he would “evaluate all appropriate initiatives” under current legislation.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s nationalist government has been accused of seeking to promote more Italians into top cultural roles, as well as more people sympathetic to her right-wing views.

READ ALSO: Has Florence banned new Airbnb rentals in the city centre?

Last year, ministers approved a change that forces opera chiefs to leave their jobs when they reach 70 years old, a measure widely viewed as a way to remove some foreigners from their posts.

The deputy mayor of Florence, Alessia Bettini, also weighed in against Hollberg, saying that if the city was a prostitute, “are then Florentines the children of a prostitute, and tourists clients of a prostitute?”

Former premier Matteo Renzi, a senator for Florence, said Hollberg “should apologise or resign”.

The gallery director is the latest official in Italy to express concern about the impact of overtourism, particularly in cities such as Florence – where the historic centre is packed with crowds for much of the year – and Venice.

After the UN’s cultural organisation warned it could lose its prized heritage status, Venice last year announced plans to test a ticketing scheme to seek to control numbers, which begins in April.

Member comments

  1. My wife and I have visited Florence four times since 2004. It is an extraordinary city in so many ways. But when we were deciding on a place to stay for a long time, we headed south to Puglia. Our last visit to Florence was in November 2021. We were stunned to find the historic center jammed with tourists, many of them in large groups visiting for the day. Streets that we once enjoyed walking down, viewing shops with wonderful displays of fabrics or stationary or food, were now lined with shops selling stuff for tourists. It would be an act of political courage to return the city to something that the citizens themselves can enjoy. Venice should be enough of a warning about what mass tourism can cost a city.

  2. Italy’s most prominent cities are rapidly losing their character. Too many tourists; too many short-term rentals. Natives have largely departed for the countryside. Small shops are disappearing, replaced by tourist shops. Until the pandemic, Lucca had been largely spared but now, Lucca is also going the way of Florence and Pisa. Soon, it will also be elbow to elbow. There is such a thing as “too much” and we have reached that point.

  3. The reality is that Dr Hollberg is right. Florence is on the verge of becoming uninhabitable for anyone beyond a day tourist. I would have expected more of our mayor than asking for her apology or resignation. Cecilie Hollberg is the best director that the Accademia has ever had, she is beyond amazing. To ask her to apologize for telling the truth is simply awful.

  4. She certainly could have phrased it more delicately… but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong. Florence is without a doubt a beautiful little city with outstanding cultural treasures, that has unfortunately become a victim of itself. I’ve been avoiding it for years because of the crowds. Fortunately, Italy is loaded with worthwhile alternatives without the wall to wall people.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Labour Day: What’s open and what’s closed in Italy on May 1st 2024

Wednesday, May 1st will mark Italy’s Labour Day. But how will shops, transport services and museums be affected by the public holiday?

Labour Day: What's open and what's closed in Italy on May 1st 2024

First established back in 1890 to celebrate workers’ rights and the achievements made by Italian trade unions, Labour Day (or Festa del Lavoro) is a national public holiday in Italy, meaning a day off for many around the country.

Generally speaking, much of Italy tends to grind to a halt on public holidays and Labour Day is no exception as some services will be significantly limited or, at times, even unavailable on the day.  

But what exactly can you expect to find open, or closed, next Wednesday?

Public transport 

Most local public transport companies in the country will operate on a reduced timetable (also known as orari festivi) on May 1st, with the quality and frequency of services during the day likely to vary significantly between rural and urban areas, as well as between cities.

Areas that are usually served by just the occasional bus may see stripped-to-the-bone services on Wednesday, whereas parts of the country that already have robust public transport networks should keep them fairly active.  

Having said that, Labour Day transport services in both urban and rural areas may experience delays and/or cancellations this year due to a 24-hour general strike involving staff from public and private operators around the country.

There’s currently little information available as to exactly how the walkout will affect travel on Wednesday and what level of disruption passengers can expect, though further details are expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout. 

You can keep up with all the latest updates in our strike news section. 

Rail and air travel

Much like public transport services, regional and local trains will run on fairly reduced timetables on Wednesday, whereas most interregional and long-distance high-speed trains will run on standard weekday timetables. 

However, the normal operation of these services may be affected by the above-mentioned 24-hour general strike. 

As for air travel, inbound and outbound flights shouldn’t be affected by the strike, according to the latest reports. 

Schools and offices

Public schools in all Italian regions will be closed on May 1st. 

Pupils in Molise and Liguria will enjoy a longer break as they’ll be home from school on Monday, April 29th and Tuesday, April 30th as well.

As it’s usually the case on national public holidays, offices in both the public and private sector (this includes banks, post offices, town hall desks and CAF fiscal assistance centres) will be closed. 

Tourist attractions

Most state-run museums and archaeological sites, including Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia and Rome’s Colosseum, will be open on Wednesday, though some may have slightly reduced hours, which is why it’s advisable to check the opening times in advance if you have a specific site you want to visit in mind. 

Privately run museums, galleries or collections may be closed on the day.

Pasticcerie, panifici and restaurants

Some panifici (bakeries) and pasticcerie (pastry shops) in major cities may remain open on Wednesday morning to allow customers to buy bread and sweets for their Labour Day lunch.  

Many restaurants will remain open on Labour Day to welcome the families who choose to dine out for the holiday. But if you’re planning on eating out on that day, it’s advisable to make a reservation in advance to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

Shops and supermarkets

Many supermarket chains around the country will have limited opening hours on Wednesday. For instance, some may open around 9 in the morning and then close in the early afternoon.

Most mini-markets will remain completely closed instead. 

Most shops in non-urban areas will be closed on Wednesday, whereas businesses in big cities around the country may open for either the morning only or the afternoon only.

Doctors and pharmacies

GPs’ clinics will be closed on Wednesday. 

However, should you be in need of an urgent appointment, you can ask to see a doctor from Italy’s Guardia Medica, a medical care centre that operates outside of GPs’ normal working hours and on weekends, or visit your local hospital’s ER (pronto soccorso).

Should you need to buy medicines or pick up a prescription, pharmacies in Italy operate a rota system during national holidays to ensure that at least one is open in each area. 

To find the nearest one, Google farmacia di turno plus the name of the municipality (or comune) you find yourself in.

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