Florence Bans Key Boxes and Loudspeakers to Purge Absentee Landlords
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Travelers planning a visit to the Renaissance capital of Tuscany will face stricter entry rules as Florence officially begins removing key lockboxes from the facades of its historic buildings. Mayor Sara Funaro launched the aggressive ten-point plan earlier this week, targeting the small, coded safes that allow short-term rental hosts to automate check-ins without ever meeting guests. The crackdown comes in direct response to a guerrilla campaign by the local activist group “Salviamo Firenze,” whose members recently plastered red “X” stickers over hundreds of the boxes to protest the transformation of the city center into a faceless tourist hub.
The new regulations effectively force Airbnb and Vrbo hosts to return to in-person greetings, significantly increasing the logistical burden on property owners who manage multiple listings remotely. City officials argue that the proliferation of these boxes not only defaces UNESCO-protected architecture but also degrades the social fabric of the neighborhood by replacing residents with transient visitors. In addition to the hardware removal, the decree prohibits the use of loudspeakers and amplifiers by tour guides, a move designed to lower the noise decibels that plague the narrow streets around the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.
This municipal action coincides with a heightened security directive issued on November 18 by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, which scrutinizes the anonymity provided by automated check-in systems. While the national memo focuses on anti-terrorism protocols and the proper identification of lodgers, it has provided the legal leverage Florence needed to expedite its local ban. Visitors arriving for the winter season should anticipate longer coordination times for apartment access, as the era of the seamless, contactless arrival in Florence comes to an abrupt end.
