Traveling to foreign countries and is exciting for a lot of people, especially if they are interested in historical cites.
In Europe, there are countries that have so many sites to see that are so beautiful, and allow us to look back on centuries and past empires. Many individuals like to go to Italy to see the history of Ancient Rome, which still has many relics standing so many centuries later.
Traveling across the globe may seem like a fun and interesting voyage, but it's important to always remember to be respectful and thoughtful not to disrupt or destroy property and sites.
Old, historical landmarks have been around for centuries, and that makes the infrastructure very fragile. Many of them are already falling apart as it is. Tourists who are not cognizant of this can cause irreparable damage.
An American tourist was visiting Rome and saw the Spanish Steps, which are an iconic historical site, and caused $26,000 in damages after chucking an e-scooter down the steps.
The Italian name is actually Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti and it's been known to be the widest and longest staircase in Europe. The steps have 135 steps and 12 different ramps, still standing.
Beginning in 1951, the steps are where Italians celebrate the arrival of Spring with a floral tribute. They also showcase art and azaleas on the steps for this change of season.
According to authorities, when the woman chucked the e-scooter down the steps, it cracked the 16th and 29th steps and chipped other sections of the staircase. The estimate has been said to be at least $26,000 to fix and repair.
The security footage showcases that the woman struggled to get the scooter down the stairs and then pushed it, chipping several sections of the monument. Then, she pushes the scooter again for "amusement."
Scooters are available for rent in Rome, as well as other cities in Italy. The scooters are very popular with tourists as they are inexpensive and it is a very easy way to get around the city.
Aside from facing a $430 fine, a formal complaint was also filed against the American tourist. She is now facing up to one year in jail or paying a fine of at least $2,100.
Italian officials report that many tourists have been mistreating and damaging historical monuments by being reckless, careless, or simply disrespectful. This has caused cities to have to pay a great deal to fix and replace things.
The two tourists who were featured in the security video are now permanently banned from coming to the Spanish Steps ever again—no matter how badly they'd like to return. Looks like there are always consequences to every poor action.
