Two tourists fined for surfing Venice's Grand Canal

Venice will charge to enter the city from 2023 0:58

(CNN) --

If you thought swimming in canals, vandalizing property and posing topless at a war memorial site was the worst thing tourists could do in Venice, think again.

On Wednesday morning, two people decided to go surfing.

But they didn't choose the city's beaches to do it, but rather the Grand Canal.

Apparently mounted on eFoils (electric surfboards raised from the water on hydrofoils), the two subjects were caught on camera going up and down the canal.

The Grand Canal is not only the center of the UNESCO World Heritage Site lined with historic buildings, but also the main thoroughfare of Venice.

In the images captured by several locals, they were seen dodging a vaporetto (water bus) and a taxi under the Rialto Bridge, as well as speeding past the Basilica de la Salute, one of the most emblematic places in the city. .

Passing under the Accademia bridge, one of the surfers fell off his board but made sure to keep what appeared to be his phone out of the water, recording his partner.

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Mayor Luigi Brugnaro tweeted a video of the surfers, calling them "two pushy idiots making fun of the city."

And he offered a free dinner to whoever could identify the couple.

Ecco due imbecilli prepotenti che si fanno beffa della Città… chiedo a tutti di aiutarci a individuarli per punirli anche nostre armi sono davvero spuntate… servono urgently più poteri ai Sindaci in tema di sicurezza pubblica!

A chi li individual offro a dinner!

pic.twitter.com/DV2ONO3hUs

– Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) August 17, 2022

Whether because someone accepted his offer or because they deployed the cameras of his Control Room that watches over the city through closed circuit television, the truth is that Brugnaro later tweeted that the couple had been identified.

"The two surfboards have been confiscated and soon (...) those responsible will be in our hands."

The local newspaper Il Gazzettino later reported that the couple had been captured.

The two boards — valued at about 25,000 euros ($25,440) — were confiscated for not being insured, he said, while each surfer was fined 1,500 euros for endangering canal navigation.

They were also placed on an anti-social behavior order and immediately expelled from the city.

The city has also instructed lawyers to initiate proceedings against the couple for damaging their image.

Men's consulates will also be contacted.

Venice is not the only Italian destination where travelers have misbehaved this summer.

In the last two months, tourists have driven down the steps of the Spanish Steps in Rome, they have thrown a motorcycle down the same steps and they have circulated by motorcycle through Pompeii.

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