Cities seek to limit covid spread and avoid becoming yellow zones.

Italian cities are bringing in restrictions in a bid to reduce the risk of covid infections among the crowds of people shopping during the Christmas season.

The move comes ahead of the introduction of Italy's so-called Super Green Pass, which excludes the unvaccinated from a range of social, cultural and sporting activities, with effect from 6 December.

Milan will require people in the historic centre of the city to wear masks outdoors from 27 November until 31 December, every day from 10.00 until 22.00.

Police will be carrying out checks in the streets around Piazza del Duomo and in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, with those who violate the rules facing a fine of €280.

• Milan to require masks outdoors as Italy ramps up covid rules

In Venice, protective masks are compulsory outdoors in some areas of the historic centre during popular events such as Christmas markets, with the additional prospect of one-way systems for pedestrians to control the flow of crowds.

In Rome no outdoor mask rules have been announced - yet - although the measure is widely expected to come into force soon in the city centre.

Police in the capital will reportedly begin to limit the numbers of people accessing the main shopping districts, such as the Tridente area around Via del Corso and in the Prati quarter, from this weekend.

Measures including outdoor masks and one-way pedestrian streets are also expected to be announced in the historic centre of Florence.

The northern city of Bergamo also has an outdoor mask mandate, in place from 27 November until 1 January, in the most crowded areas of the city.

The measures will be in force daily from 10.00-20.00, with fines for non-compliance up to €3,000, reports news agency Adnkronos.

• Super Green Pass: Italy tightens covid rules for unvaccinated

Bologna, too, requires masks outdoors in the historic centre, from 26 November until 9 January.

Children under six are not obliged to wear a mask, neither are people with illnesses or disabilities incompatible with wearing masks.

Those who violate the rules risk fines between €400 and €1,000.

Masks outdoors are mandatory in Padua, in the area bound by the ancient city walls, until 31 December, while Aosta in north-west Italy has an outdoor mask mandate in the historic centre on weekends and public holidays until 9 January.

The mask rules in Italian cities come as the north-eastern Fruili Venezia Giulia region is set to become a low-moderate risk 'yellow zone' on Monday, facing more restrictions than the rest of Italy which is currently in the lowest-risk 'white zone' category.

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