The cobbled streets of Venice tend to give your wheeled suitcases a bumpy ride. To protect them from damage the Venice City Council is in the process of enacting a law that prohibts rolling suitcases on the few pavements and streets that exist in this city of gondolas and canals.
The official reason for the ban is noise pollution. Venetian officials claim that the noise of tourists dragging their bags over the bridges keeps local residents awake at night. Only suitcases with silent inflated tyres will be permitted. However, Venetians themselves will be exempt from the regulations which carry a Euro 500 fine and are to come into effect in May 2015.
So how will the 27 million tourists who visit Venice every year take their luggage to their hotel rooms? Perhaps the Venice City Council plans to hire some turbanned “coolies” (porters) from India?
