Residents and local officials in Varenna, a picturesque village on the shores of Lake Como, have grown tired of tourists walking around shirtless or wearing swimwear in the town.
In response, the local authorities have introduced new regulations banning such attire everywhere except on the beach and aboard excursion boats.
Anyone found walking through the village bare-chested or in swimwear outside those designated areas can face fines ranging from €50 to €200.
The dress code is not the only new restriction. Tourist groups are now limited to a maximum of 25 people to help prevent congestion in Varenna’s narrow streets. Tour guides have also been banned from using loudspeaker systems. The local mayor asserted:
Varenna is a wonderful place, and we are proud to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.
However, we cannot sacrifice our residents’ quality of life on the altar of mass tourism.
Italy has introduced similar measures in a number of towns and cities struggling with overtourism. In 2022, the then mayor of Sorrento described walking around in swimwear or bare-chested as “widely widespread indecent behaviour” that damaged the town’s image, prompting the introduction of substantial fines.
In Portofino, an exclusive seaside resort in the Liguria region, authorities introduced restrictions on taking selfies in 2023 and designated certain areas as no-waiting zones to discourage tourists from lingering in popular spots.
This year, attention has also turned to beaches.
Visitors to a scenic beach on the island of Sardinia were informed that beach umbrellas may only be set up by families with children under the age of 10 or by visitors aged over 65. Everyone else is prohibited from using them.
