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Aussies heading to this popular Italian hotspot have been warned not to break this shirtless and bikini rule — or they’ll cop a hefty fine.
Varenna, a fishing village by Lake Como, is cracking down on tourists who wander the town wearing only their bikinis, and men flaunting their bare chests, fining them between €50 and €200 — about $57 to $228.
The new rule, described on Varenna’s official tourism site as “amendments to the urban police regulations,” went into effect on June 27.
“Throughout the entire municipal territory of Varenna, it is prohibited to remain shirtless or wearing only swimwear, except on beaches, piers, and boat docks,” the site reads.
The town is just a 35-minute ferry ride from Lake Como and has a population of just 650, but it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.
Authorities introduced the new rules to preserve the town’s appearance and guarantee some peace for its tiny community of locals.
“Varenna is a wonderful village, and we are proud to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year,” Varenna mayor Mauro Manzoni told The Guardian.
“However, our residents’ quality of life cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mass tourism.”
The rule appears to be widely embraced by locals, especially the dress code.
“On the beach, you can do what you want, but when you’re walking around and go into shops, restaurants, churches, or in the square, you must dress decently,” one shop owner told local broadcaster Mediaset’s TGCom24.
Tour groups have also been capped to 25 people, with loudspeakers and any form of voice amplification seeing guides fined between about $105 and $490, with possible bans lasting several months, according to the town’s tourism site.
“Without prejudice to the above provisions, tourist groups must move throughout the municipality using pedestrian routes without obstructing other users of public spaces,” it reads.
“This requirement also applies when the group is stationary during the tour.
“In particular, tourist groups are not permitted to stop or gather in Piazzetta Brenta, Piazza San Giovanni, Via IV Novembre, Via Corrado Venini, Via Enrico Fermi, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, the ‘Giorgio Monico’ footbridge, Riva Grande/Riva dei Marmisti, Via XX Settembre, along the historic lanes (“contrade”), or at their entrances and exits.”
The tiny town joins many cities across Italy that have imposed similar measures to crack down on overtourism, such as Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.
Sorrento mayor Massimo Coppola said bare flesh impaired the image of the town and the local government would now issue fines of up to €500, equivalent to $570.
He also claimed that tourists strutting around and exposing their skin was upsetting the local residents.
“The continuation of this situation, as well as causing discomfort and unease in the resident population and among visitors, could lead to a negative judgment on the quality of life in our town, with consequences for its image and for tourism,” Coppola said in 2022.
In Barcelona, visitors can wear their swimwear at the beach or at a swimming pool, but popping into the town center in your swimwear could see you copping a fine of up to around $312.
The same goes for Mallorca, with bikinis limited to beaches and pools only and fines of up to around $630 for those who do not comply.
