If your travel plans include relaxing on the European beaches this summer, be sure to pack up appropriate tank.
Despite the European Travel CommissionThe report of a decrease in the demand for travel to Europe this year, some local governments are implementing stricter regulations to address public indecency and drunkenness among tourists.
In 2024, a video of eight British men dancing naked in broad daylight in a bar in Albufeira, Portugal, went viral. The mayor of the city reacted with a new plan to introduce fines of up to 1,500 euros ($ 1,633) for running out of shirt or using a bikini beyond the beach, According to the BBC.
Similar rules are established in several other European beach destinations. Informed Time Out That in Malaga, a city in Spain Costa del Sol, the local council recently updated the existing rules. Visitors who run out of the streets and in public spaces can now receive a fine of up to 750 euros ($ 816). Meanwhile, Barcelona and Mallorca can impose fines for those who wear swimsuits when they are not on the beach.
Sorrento, the entrance door to Italy Amalfi coastIt was news in 2022 to ban swimsuits with fines of up to 500 euros ($ 544). According The placeThe island of Lipari (in the Eolio archipelago off the coast of Sicily) and Tropea (in Calabria) put similar prohibitions in the books in 2013 and 2019, respectively.
For Monaco’s lifeIt is forbidden to walk through the streets of the city in a swimsuit in several cities of the French Riviera, including Niza, Menton, Cannes, St. Tropez and St. Raphael.
The same goes for Dubrovnik and divided into Croatia, According to Dubrovnik Times.
Respecting local customs
A fine of 500 euros ($ 543.80) can be extreme, but tourists must respect local customs while traveling, even in places without fines.
Although customs around the dress and decorum are loosening in much of the Mediterranean, the locals are usually dressed for the occasion. That means casual business clothing at work, swimsuits on the beach and sportswear in the gym.
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It is rare to see the locals in countries such as Italy, Spain, France and Greece walking through the streets of the city with athletics clothes or wearing swimsuits without some type of cover -up. They would certainly not enter a church without covering their shoulders.
In addition, although exclusive restaurants rarely enforce the elegant clothing codes that were more common in the past, customers are generally expected to get well to dine them.
It is possible that men do not need a jacket and tie, but they should avoid wearing shorts and flip flops. Women do not necessarily need to wear a dress and heels, but they should also leave the flip flops and shorts at home. In case of doubt, look around and see what the locals carry.
“Spain is very similar to Italy,” said Lori Zaino, an independent writer based in Madrid. He explained that although culture has changed slightly in recent years, it will not see “gym clothes outside the gym, and the Spaniards would never walk in swimsuits or men, in topless in the streets.
“Fashion and image are important in places like Italy and Spain, and I think it seems disrespectful, culturally, seeing people who do not follow the unofficial clothing codes (although now, in some cities, officers!)” Zaino added.
“I think there is that feeling of respect,” said Andria Mitsakos, president and executive director of the Public Relations Agency and Founder of Athens. AnthologistAn interior product line. He explained that when he goes to the beach in Greece, he always brings something to change for lunch.
What to know before going
So, if you plan to visit a European beach this summer, there are some things you should know.
You can search for free beaches and configure your towels and umbrellas in the sand. Or, you can go to one of the many beach clubs (known in Greece as organized beaches and in Italy as “Lido” or “Stabilimenti Balnari”).
Beach clubs generally charge a flat rate for the day (sometimes offering a discount if it comes in the afternoon) or seasonal rates. You can specify if you want a solar bed, an armchair or an umbrella, and the staff will assign a place.
Once he gets to his place, it is safe to place his towel and his nakedness. Some beach clubs, especially in Italy, have showers, changing rooms and public bathrooms where you can change to your swimsuit in case of trouble. However, do not expect to find any installation on free beaches.
“You use your swimsuit on the beach with a cover -up or clothing at the top, then you nake when you arrive,” Zaino said, explaining that there are not many changing facilities on the beaches of Spain.
“It is a bit ironic than going topless on the beach for women is completely socially acceptable, but once you step on sands, everyone is completely covered once again, and even men will not walk without a shirt,” he added.
If you go to especially popular beaches, it is advisable to call and reserve a place in your preferred beach club in advance.
You must also book in advance to eat at the Beach Club restaurant. Some clubs are particularly recognized for their food, but even the very basic ones generally serve simple sandwiches, espresso and ice cream.
In Italy, making or buying food and drinks in other places and taking them to the beach is generally acceptable (and quite common). However, like The New York Times reported Last year, many beach clubs have banned customers to bring their own food. In Greece, the locals are more likely to bring frozen coffee or a snack on the beach and then go to lunch at the end of the afternoon, between 4 and 5 pm
“For me, the perfect Greek summer day is lunch until the moon rises. Each lunch becomes an appetizer, which becomes dinner,” Mitsakos said. “A Greek summer day should flow organically from one moment to another.”
Simply bring a beach bag with a change of clothes to prepare for what the day can bring.
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