Holiday hotspot in Italy bans bikinis with £425 fine
8 July 2022, 11:44
You can now be fined £425 for wearing a bikini in the Italian holiday resort of Sorrento.
A popular holiday resort in Italy has banned bikinis this summer.
That means tourists visiting Sorrento over the next few weeks will have to cover up to avoid being hit with a £425 fine.
The decision comes after the mayor of the picturesque seaside town - near Pompeii and Naples - said that wearing swimwear in public, as well as being topless, contributes to 'widespread indecorous behaviour'.
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According to The Times, he announced the new rules after witnessing "behaviour that is seen by the majority of people as contrary to decorum and to the decency that characterises civilised cohabitation.”
He added: "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."
Sorrento Municipal Police officers will reportedly patrol the streets to make sure people are not walking around in their swimwear.
The Mayor isn’t alone in banning ‘inappropriate clothing’, as some places in Spain have introduced similar rules this summer.
In Barcelona, holidaymakers and locals are only allowed to wear bikinis on the beach, with a fine of up to £260 for anyone caught wearing them in the streets.
As for Majorca, swimwear is limited to beach areas with a possible £500 fine for anyone caught ignoring the rule.
Fines could even be issued on streets close to the beach, so tourists should keep their shirt on until they are firmly on the sand.
UK Foreign Travel Advice states: "In some parts of Spain it’s against the law to be in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts/trunks.
“Being bare-chested has also been banned in some areas of Spain. Some local councils will impose fines if you’re caught wearing swimwear on the seafront promenade or the adjacent streets."
