Ponte Vecchio bridge dates to 1345.

An American tourist was fined €500 for driving onto Florence's Ponte Vecchio bridge on Thursday, according to Italian news reports.

The man, 34, was stopped by traffic police as he drove his rented Fiat Panda onto the landmark bridge which dates to 1345.

The tourist, from California, told police he was looking for a parking space, reports Florence-based newspaper La Nazione.

• Tourists behaving badly in Italy

Florence recently announced a €2 million restoration project for Ponte Vecchio which was the only bridge in the city spared from destruction in world war two.

Three years ago a 21-year-old US tourist was fined €160 after being caught writing his name on the bridge.