Vacation hot spot tells tourists in skimpy beachwear to cover up or face steep fines

An Italian town is warning tourists against strolling through its streets shirtless or in swimwear — threatening hefty fines for visitors who ignore the rules.

Varenna, a popular lakeside village on Lake Como in northern Italy, recently updated its urban police regulations to prohibit visitors from walking around town shirtless or wearing only swimwear.

“Throughout the entire municipal territory of Varenna, it is prohibited to remain shirtless or wearing only swimwear, except on beaches, piers and boat docks,” says the town’s tourism website.

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The fine can range from about $57 to about $228 — or €50 to €200.

Officials said the new rules are aimed at addressing the effects of overtourism, as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the village each year.

“Varenna is a wonderful village, and we are proud to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year,” Mauro Manzoni, Varenna’s mayor, told The Guardian.

“However, our residents’ quality of life cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mass tourism.”

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Italy’s national statistics agency says that Varenna spans about 4.85 square miles and has a population of 646 residents — highlighting the challenges that mass tourism can pose for the small village.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Municipality of Varenna for comment.

On a Reddit forum discussing the new rules, many users voiced support for the policy.

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“Their town, their law,” one person wrote.

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“I wish more places would do this,” another commenter said.

A third person chimed in, “They should implement this in Thailand too.”

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One Redditor said that the penalties were more surprising than the rule itself.

“I’ve seen a few small towns around Europe that have signs about no swimwear when you’re off the beach and walking around town,” the user wrote. “I haven’t seen fines for it, though.”

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The move follows similar action taken in France last summer.

In 2025, the seaside resort of Les Sables-d’Olonne reminded locals and tourists that walking around town topless or in swimwear was prohibited.

“It’s a question of respect for locals who don’t want people wandering around their town half-naked,” the town mayor wrote at the time.