Tourists cop hefty fine for making coffee on the steps of Venice’s Rialto bridge

Two backpackers have copped a hefty fine for making their morning brew on the steps of the Rialto bridge in Venice.

The German tourists were fined a total of €950 (AU$1,500) and asked to leave the city after making coffee using a travel cooker on the steps of the oldest bridge that spans the Grand Canal, the BBC reported.

Overtourism has forced the extremely popular city to introduce a law that prohibits picnicking at certain sites and not wearing a shirt in public spaces among other offences.

“Venice must be respected and those impolite people who come here and do what they want must understand that. Thanks to the local police, they will be sanctioned and removed,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said according to the BBC.

The news comes just a month after a cruise ship ploughed into a wharf while docking at Guidecca Canal, injuring five and sparking mass protests against cruise ships docking in the city’s lagoon.

Last year, the city won approval to introduce a new visitors tax that came into place on 1 May this year.

The new tax, which only applies to day-trippers charges each tourist a standard €3 (AU$4.50) which will rise to between €6 (AU$10) and €10 (AU$16) depending on the time of year from 2020.