Rome struggles with a rowdy, drunken boom in tourism

[Kosmo]

"ROME: There is a struggle under way, in plain view, for the soul of Rome's historic center: In one corner sit the forces of restraint, etiquette and cultural preservation; in the other sit those with the unswerving desire for yet another round of drinks.

 

A leisurely midnight stroll on almost any summer night through Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona or the medieval neighborhood of Trastevere puts the issue in clear relief. It is "ladies night" at Sloppy Sam's, a popular pub on Campo dei Fiori just in front of the statue of the philosopher Giordano Bruno. Bruno was condemned to death in 1600 by the Roman Catholic Church for heresy. Shirtless male bartenders this night are serving up round after round of half-priced shots.

 

Around the corner, a stone's throw from where Julius Caesar met his treacherous end, the Zeta Lounge is offering two hours of "open bar" - all you can drink for one low price..."

 

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/25/news/journal.php

[M. Porcius Cato]

After my initial horror, I realized that these drunken tourists probably make Rome more like the original--only not far enough. Far from banning public drinking, the mayor should permit public drinking for any Latin-speakers wearing a toga.

[caldrail]

And pay them unemployment benefit with bags of grain.

[Flavia Gemina]

The other thing I noticed last time I was in Rome was how much more graffiti there was on the walls... but I guess that's like ancient times, too!

 

Just wish it was as witty...

 

Flavia

[Kosmo]

More complains

" La dolce vita revisited: Rome's new emperor

Walter Veltroni, the Mayor of Rome, is Italy's Mr Nice, happy to welcome Hollywood stars and organise festivals. But the prospective prime minister's mastery of spin has failed to plaster over the cracks of urban degradation.

 

Italy's new emperor is being fitted with a fine new suit of clothes. For the past five years, Walter Veltroni has been a dynamic, hyperactive mayor of Rome. Yesterday he prepared himself for a leap to the highest level in Italian politics, offering himself as leader of the new Democratic Party which is predicted to become the biggest power in the land. If everything goes according to plan, he could become Italy's next prime minister.

 

Yet it takes a willing suspension of disbelief; a happy surrender to the flood of hype, to see Veltroni's years in charge of Rome as a success..."

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2717285.ece

[Maladict]

I remember when being publicly drunk in Italy was really socially unacceptable, and it wasn't that long ago. Things seem to have changed, almost imperceptably so. And now, with bar patrons and waiters going along with it and even encouraging it, it's becoming a bit sad.

[Silentium]

More complains

" La dolce vita revisited: Rome's new emperor

Walter Veltroni, the Mayor of Rome, is Italy's Mr Nice, happy to welcome Hollywood stars and organise festivals. But the prospective prime minister's mastery of spin has failed to plaster over the cracks of urban degradation.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2717285.ece

Hahaha yes, Rome is known around the world for being the European capital of binge drinking XD.

This is really sad indeed..taking a pic of the pubs area in Campo de' fiori at night and implying Rome is full of drunkards..

As far as road maintenance goes, it appears that the author of this article never went past the historical centre of the city (which is a traffic-restricted area anyway), because the sub-urban areas -constantly neglected by previous administrations-

have undergone a spectacular transformation in the past 5 years, with the result that the so-called "urban decorum" is no longer an exclusive of the central areas.

About the Bacchanalia in Trastevere, the bars have always been there, I honestly can't understand what Mr.Veltroni has to do with the prices of drinks. I think there are other capital cities in Europe with far worse problems related to alcohol. Rome is a safe city, you can walk around at night in the city centre without problems. I also think people don't have the correct perception of the flood of tourists Rome gets every year; it is practically impossible to control EVERYONE, from those who get drunk in Trastevere to those who have picnics on green areas (and drop litter) despite the "keep off the lawn" sign to those who, in the Cappella Sistina, keep taking pics of the frescos,ignoring the guard shouting it is forbidden(and that's because the flash ruins the frescos) to those "refreshing" their feet in the fountains..is up to the tourists to behave decently, there are so many people that controlling all of them is simply impossible.

About the graffiti..the administration deliberately chose to requalify decaying areas in the suburbs with colourful graffiti -engaging several artists- some of them ancient Rome related, and the result was very good. The statement about the underground trains is false, almost all of the old trains (covered in graffiti, but that's because they were over a decade old) were replaced with brand new ones and they are certainly not scribbled with spray.

My personal opinion, and that of another 61% of romans who re-elected Mr.Veltroni last year (the greatest result in the history of S.P.Q.R. elections),is that the man has been a benediction to this city.

 

To get a (very) general idea you can look at this article at worldmayor.com.