Italian village bans bare chests and swimwear with fines of up to €200

Italian village bans bare chests and swimwear with fines of up to €200: the lakeside town of Varenna, on Lake Como’s eastern shore, has introduced a ban on shirtless outings and walking in swimwear in shops and public areas. Offenders face fines ranging from €50 to €200. The restrictions do not apply to people on beaches, piers, or boat docks. Varenna says the measures are part of a response to mass tourism, including noise and disruptive crowds, with additional limits on tourist group size to no more than 25 people. The rules also ask visitors not to linger in public squares and pedestrian walkways, while excluding school groups, educational trips, and parish youth groups. Tourist guides are barred from using loudspeakers or other voice amplification. Mayor Mauro Manzoni told The Guardian that residents’ quality of life cannot be sacrificed to mass tourism. The article compares similar penalties in Sorrento (€25–€500), Portofino (up to €275), and Venice’s 2024 limits on parties and amplified music.