Venice, 24 February – Over the last few years travellers on Vita Italian Tours to Venice were confronted with haute couture advertising billboards covering the famous bridge during restoration work. This caused some considerable controversy among the Venetians and the 12 million visitors a year to the site. The three year restoration project cost nearly 3 million Euro. The mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsini when he reopened the bridge said the bridge had been returned to its “extraordinary splendour and was now completely safe after an operation that was privately funded and cost the public nothing.” The controversy will continue and do not be surprised when you travel on tour around Italy that famous sites will be covered with Armani or Prada advertising.