The shop was fined €2,000 after police found that its price list was concealed from customers behind the counter

An ice cream parlour in Florence that charged a Taiwanese tourist €25 for a cone has been fined €2,000 as the city acts against the exploitation of visitors.

The tourist protested against the price but is believed to have paid it and to have been told by staff: “Our ice creams cost a lot because they are tasty.”

His Italian tour guide called the police, who imposed the fine after discovering that the shop’s price list was concealed from customers behind the counter. “Hiding prices is very common and is a habit that creates a poor impression around the world, given that tourists are the main victims,” Elio Covino, a police official, told La Repubblica.

As tourist numbers surge in Italy, with a record