Traveling to Italy soon? Note that the area around the iconic Spanish Steps in Rome has been entirely pedestrianized this month, with the car-free zone to remain in place until November. Mayor Ignazio Marino—who is a big proponent of cycling—is on a mission to make the Eternal City more eco-friendly. Last year he pedestrianized Via dei Fori Imperiali, which connects Piazza Venezia with the Colosseum, and only emergency vehicles, taxis and buses are allowed on the road.
The newly-created pedestrian zone around the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna includes 15 neighboring side streets. The city's website expresses a wish to restore the image of the area to when it was the setting for the film, "Roman Holiday," starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. As reported by Ansa, tourists are overjoyed. "In Rome, which is an open-air museum, it should not be otherwise,” a German tourist is quoted as saying. Drivers who enter the zone are fined 80 euros.
Pictured at top: The Spanish Steps via Wikipedia/2pi.pl Below: The five-star Hotel Hassler is perched prominently above the steps.
