Will Jersey Shore Ever Shoot in Italy?

Cast's trip has been delayed while producers work out problems with shooting locations and filming permits

The tanning oil and laundry detergent were all packed up and ready to go. But the cast of the Jersey Shore has once again been grounded amid more snafus with the guidos and guidettes' planned trip to Italy.

What's the snafu this time?

Mayor Matteo Renzi has being a major Shore hater, cracking down on where the show can actually shoot in Florence and barring the the cast from being filmed while drinking. (Uh, will we have much footage at all?) Then, at the last minute this weekend, permits producers obtained for shooting at some of the city's famous landmarks, including the Uffizi gallery and Palazzo Vecchio, were yanked by the mayor, per RadarOnline.

MTV insists it's only a minor hiccup—apparently the locals didn't want Snooki and her pals creating the wrong kind of buzz while the country's commander in chief was planning to stop in the city.

"Production on Jersey Shore will begin this week, following the Italian presidential visit to Florence. In the ongoing spirit of cooperation, we're waiting until his official visit concludes to start filming," MTV said in a statement Monday.

The move was so last minute, according to Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino's Twitter, that the cast was even filmed heading to the airport yesterday, bags packed and all, when they were told they will be GTL'ing in the good ol' U.S.A. for the time being. 

The Sitch was also snapped loading luggage into his Jeep and arriving at Vinny Guadagnino's aunt's house to pick up his roommate to catch the flight together. 

Producers reportedly hope the red tape can be snipped through and the cast can head back to the homeland in about a week, but nothing has been officially announced yet.

This is the latest delay for season four of the smash reality hit. They had originally been set to fly to Florence on April 18, but that date got (fist-)bumped amid contract negotiations and struggles to secure locations that would allow filming inside. 

Someone better send in Snooki to charm this mayor, stat—the show's new season is set to air in July. 

UPDATE: Despite reports that the mayor yanked Jersey Shore's permits to film in Florence, a representative for the Toscana Film Commission tells E! News the cast has all the paperwork completed and approved to start their production. "I confirm you that they have all permits to film in Florence," says the spokesman.

—Additional reporting by Whitney English