Several popular tourist destinations across Europe have introduced stricter dress codes in city centres, targeting the growing trend of holidaymakers walking the streets in swimwear or shirtless.
Authorities in France, Italy, Spain, and Croatia have issued warnings and fines in recent weeks, urging tourists to show more restraint when away from the beach.
In France, the mayor of the coastal town Les Sables-d’Olonne, Yannick Moreau, posted a message on social media asking visitors to respect local customs.
“A little modesty, please,” he wrote, addressing mostly domestic tourists who flood the town during the summer and walk from the beach into markets and restaurants wearing only swimwear.
“It is forbidden to walk around shirtless or in just a swimsuit in Les Sables-d’Olonne,” he reminded. “If you want to show off your muscles or your favourite swimsuit, there are 11 kilometres of beach available for that.”
The ban on swimwear in public spaces has been in place since 2020. Despite that, local authorities issued a record number of fines in July, mainly to French tourists. Ten people received penalties of up to €150 for violating the rule.
The mayor told The New York Times that the problem worsens every summer. Tourists are frequently seen leaving the beach in swimwear and shopping in open-air markets, supermarkets, or dining in local restaurants.
“If you go to the market to buy fruit, vegetables, or meat, you can’t be half-naked and shed your body hair on the produce,” he said.
In Spain, some regions have banned wearing swimwear even on seaside promenades. In Málaga, local tourism officials have used social media to ask visitors to “dress appropriately.” Offenders risk fines of several hundred euros.
Italy has issued similar rules in certain areas, such as Sorrento, where local police are authorised to fine shirtless visitors. In Dubrovnik, Croatia, walking through the old town in a swimsuit is prohibited and subject to penalties.
The tightening of dress codes is not new, but the growing number of tourists and the persistence of the issue have led cities to step up enforcement.
Authorities say the rules aim to preserve public decorum and protect the everyday living environment for residents, particularly in locations where tourism heavily overlaps with daily life.
HT
