By-law affects evening sale and consumption of alcohol.

Rome has re-introduced a ban on the consumption of alcohol in public every night from 22.00, in an attempt to curb anti-social behaviour in the city's night-life districts.

The order, which remains in effect until 31 October, bans the consumption of alcohol on many of the capital’s streets and squares, from midnight to 07.00. Drinking from glass bottles on the street or on public transport is banned from 22.00 until 07.00. Off-licences, supermarkets and vending machines are not allowed to sell take-away alcohol during that time. In addition, pubs are now forbidden from serving alcohol indoors after 02.00.

The areas affected are Castro Pretorio, the banks of the Tiber, Tiber Island, Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona, Monti, Celio, Trastevere, Testaccio, Prati, Esquilino, S. Lorenzo, Tiburtina station, Termini station, Piazza Bologna, Pigneto, Marranella, Montesacro, Torpignattara, Ostiense, Ostia and Ponte Milvio.

The penalties are €280 for vendors and €150 for consumers. This is the second alcohol ban introduced by mayor Ignazio Marino, although it was banned regularly under his predecessor Gianni Alemanno.

The Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica recently highlighted the growing extent of alcohol abuse in Rome, particularly among under-age drinkers. An increasing number of Rome's teenagers end up in casualty departments after consuming large amounts of cheap spirits in the city centre.

The bad press also extends abroad. Over the past two years, three foreign students – two Americans and one German – have died falling off the parapet along the Lungotevere embankments. Another American student died when he was hit by a train inside a railway tunnel near St Peter's. All students had been drinking heavily before their deaths.

The city has issued posters outlining details of the alcohol ban, in Italian and English, for more details see city website.