The pandemic put travel on pause for years. And then, the advent of remote work put travel into overdrive. Airbnb has captured the windfall of sojourners, turning drafty studio apartments and struggling bed-and-breakfasts around the world into cash cows. Rental prices in Florence have skyrocketed since travel restarted. Claire and I fortunately found an apartment at a reasonable price, but only after looking at dozens of listings that would seem more normal in Paris or Toronto.

Florence is part of Italy's left-leaning "red belt," so it makes sense that the local government has cracked down on Airbnbs here. Though the headline might give the impression that Airbnb will be banned from the city, the reality is much more moderate. The city will allow the 15,000 current Airbnbs (up from 6,000 seven years ago) to remain, while prohibiting new ones.