Embarrassing American tourists break hallowed local custom at Italian hotspot

A U.S.couple made a serious — and fineable — faux pas in the Floating City.NYC-based dietician Julia Latoff and her boyfriend Mike were on vacation in Venice, Italy when they decided to work off some of the pasta they’d been eating with a long job around town.“Both of us are runners, and we make an effort to run in almost every city we travel to,” Latoff told Newsweek.

But the restorative morning run quickly became more of a humiliation ritual for the couple.“We noticed people were like shaking their heads at us, looking disgusted and angry,” Latoff shared in an Instagram post.Latoff explained that because they were running in the high heat of early July, her boyfriend opted to go shirtless, as he often does in NYC.“We had also run in Florence earlier that week and saw other shirtless runners, so we didn’t think anything of it!” she explained.

When a stranger shouted at them, the couple took the opportunity to investigate the issue.A simple Google search revealed that Venice prohibits bare chests and swimwear in public streets and squares, and visitors can be fined up to €250 ($290) for stripping down in the popular tourist destination.The rule, explicitly stated on the city council’s website, was introduced in 2018 to reinforce a culture of respect surrounding the city’s religious landmarks, including the iconic Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Santa Maria della Salute, which pays tribute to the Virgin Mary.

“We’re hiding in a back alley while his sister tries to find a shirt so that we can make it home without getting a ticket,” Latoff reported in her video, writing alongside the clip: “PSA: If you are planning to travel to Venice, make sure you pack a running shirt!!!”The clip ends with Mike donning a recently purchased white Aperol Spritz t-shirt to finish out his run and the couple issuing an apology: “Sorry, Venetian people, we didn’t know!”As expected, grumbling commenters pounced on the couple’s post.“Tell me ...