Italy: Tourists in Portofino could be fined for posing for selfies

Rome: If you’re someone who likes to spend time taking lots of snaps and selfies when you go on holiday, then Portofino might not be the best place to visit in the future.

The town on the Italian Riviera has introduced no-waiting zones to stop tourists for ‘lingering’ in popular beauty spots taking pictures.

You could now be fined up to 275 euros (£242) for hanging around too long in the zones, which include the most photogenic hotspots.

The move has been taken because these areas have become extremely busy, with many people gathering at peak times during the holiday season.

The popular coastal fishing commune is known for its colourful houses overlooking the sea.

Mayor of Portofino, Matteo Viacava, claimed that ‘anarchic chaos’ had been created by tourists stopping to take pictures and resulted in massive traffic jams and blocked streets.

The measures first came into effect over the Easter weekend, when Portofino was packed with tourists, and the rules will now stay in place until October.

As the town is expecting to see big numbers of tourists over the summer months, the rules will be in place from morning to 6pm every day.

Portofino isn’t the only place that’s been clamping down on selfies – there are also rules in certain locations in the United States, France and even the UK.

Both New York and California banned people by law from taking selfies in zoos and areas where there could be dangerous wild animals in the background, such as tigers and bears.

Selfies are also banned in certain areas of the Tower of London, including where the crown jewels are kept, for security reasons.