Picture this. You just stepped off a boat on Lake Como. The sun is blazing, the air is thick, and you're wearing nothing but your favorite swim trunks or a bikini. You head up the narrow cobblestone stairs into a picture-perfect village to grab a quick espresso. But before you can even order, a local police officer hands you a ticket for €200.
This isn't a hypothetical travel nightmare. It's the current reality in Varenna, a tiny fishing village on the shores of Italy's most famous lake.
Local authorities in Varenna just instituted a strict new public dress code. If you wander around the village center shirtless or in your swimwear, you're looking at a fine anywhere between €50 and €200. The rules are clear. Swimwear belongs strictly on the lakeside beaches or on the boats. The moment you step onto the historic streets, you have to cover up.
Varenna has a year-round population of only about 650 people. Yet every summer, hundreds of thousands of travelers pack into its tiny squares. The sheer volume of visitors has pushed the local government to its breaking point. Varenna’s mayor, Mauro Manzoni, made it clear that the quality of life for local residents can no longer be sacrificed for mass tourism.
The village didn't stop at clothing restrictions either. They've also capped tour groups at 25 people so they don't block the narrow walkways. Tour guides are now officially banned from using loudspeakers. It's all part of an aggressive push to return a sense of peace to the local community.
The Cultural Rule of Bella Figura
To understand why Italian mayors are getting so aggressive with these fines, you have to understand the local mindset. This isn't just about puritanical modesty. It’s about a deeply ingrained cultural concept called bella figura.
Literally translated, it means "beautiful figure." But it goes way deeper than aesthetics. Bella figura is an unwritten Italian philosophy centered on presentation, behavior, and mutual respect. Walking into a historic church, a family-run trattoria, or a local town hall in a wet bikini or without a shirt is seen as a direct insult to the community. It looks sloppy. It shows a total lack of respect for the space you're visiting.
Local business owners have quickly rallied behind the new rules. Shop keepers in the area note that while the beach is a free-for-all, walking into a restaurant or a church requires decent clothing. For the people who live and work in these destinations every day, seeing hordes of bare-chested tourists pulling suitcases through old town centers makes their home feel like a cheap amusement park rather than a historic community.
The Nationwide War on Bad Tourist Behavior
Varenna is just the latest hotspot to crack down. If you think a €200 fine on Lake Como is steep, look at what the rest of the country is doing. Italy has been quietly building a massive legal framework around decoro urbano, or urban decorum laws.
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast have been hammering underdressed tourists for years. If you're caught walking through the historic center of Sorrento bare-chested or in a swimsuit, the fine can skyrocket to €500. The mayor there explicitly stated that this behavior causes genuine discomfort and unease among the local population.
Further north on the Italian Riviera, Portofino enforces identical €500 fines for walking barefoot or shirtless through the main piazza. In the Cinque Terre, the rules get even more specific. You won't just get fined for your clothes. If you try to hike the famous trails between the cliffside villages wearing flip-flops, slides, or smooth-soled shoes, you can be fined up to €2,500. Why? Because underprepared tourists constantly hurt themselves, forcing rescue helicopters to fly out on the taxpayers' dime.
Down south in Gallipoli, a popular beach town in Puglia, the historic center and the main shopping avenue of Corso Roma are strictly off-limits to bare torsos. Violators face fines up to €150. Even in Venice, a city literally built on water, swimming in the canals is completely banned. Walking through the streets or riding a public water bus in your swimwear triggers a €250 fine and an immediate DASPO. That's an urban expulsion order. The police can literally ban you from the historic center of Venice for 48 hours, instantly ruining your vacation plans.
Where Can You Actually Wear Your Swimwear
You don't need to panic and pack a winter wardrobe for your summer holiday. Nobody is going to fine you for wearing a bikini while you are actively sunbathing on the sand or lounging by a hotel pool.
The bans target the transitional spaces. Here is a quick guide to understanding the boundaries.
- The Beach and Boardwalk: Totally fine. You can wear your trunks, bikinis, and one-pieces without issue.
- Lakeside Docks and Boats: Fine while you are boarding or on the water.
- Beachfront Cafes: Highly risky. If the cafe is directly on the sand, you're usually safe. If it’s across the street on a public sidewalk, put a shirt on.
- Town Centers, Piazzas, and Shopping Streets: Strictly banned. You must be fully dressed.
- Churches and Religious Sites: Not only banned, but strictly enforced. Your shoulders and knees must be completely covered, regardless of gender.
How to Avoid the Fashion Police Without Melting
You want to stay cool in the brutal Italian summer heat, but you also want to keep your hard-earned money. Packing smart is the only way out. You don't need heavy clothes. You just need the right fabrics.
Buy a couple of high-quality, lightweight linen cover-ups or button-down shirts. Linen is incredibly breathable, it dries fast, and it looks classic even when it gets a bit wrinkled. Men should keep a light linen shirt in their daypack that they can throw on the second they step off the beach. Women can opt for a simple linen dress or a wide-brim shirt that goes over a swimsuit.
Ditch the cheap plastic flip-flops when you leave the sand. Invest in a solid pair of leather sandals or lightweight canvas sneakers. Not only will you look infinitely better, but you'll also avoid the wrath of local transit authorities and police officers looking to fine people walking barefoot through town squares.
Keep a lightweight scarf or sarong at the bottom of your bag at all times. If you stumble upon a stunning historical church you want to peek inside, you can instantly wrap it around your shoulders or waist to meet the modesty requirements.
Treat these historic villages like actual communities where people raise families and go to work, not just backdrops for your social media feed. Cover up when you leave the sand. It saves your wallet, and it keeps the locals from hating your guts.
