From drink limits to Greece’s sunlounger law, all the things you can & can’t do in favourite summer holiday destinations
BOOZY British tourists partying in Portugal face huge fines amid a purge on bawdy behaviour.
The party mecca of Albufeira has become the latest hotspot to get tough on rowdy guests.
It means revellers heading to the sun for a stag and hen do could be hit with a £1,500 penalty for nudity, £1,250 for peeing or bonking in public and the same sum for wearing a bikini anywhere other than the beach or pool.
With the resort’s summer season beginning as early as April, the city is determined to make visitors behave better.
It comes after a group of British men were filmed starkers in a bar on the hedonistic Oura Strip in Albufeira.
The city council has rubber-stamped the batch of fines and now they will go before the Municipal Assembly for final approval. It’s hoped they will be in force this summer.
Announcing the passing of the proposal, Albufeira mayor Jose Carlos Rolo told a meeting on Tuesday: “This is another important step to combat a negative image of tourism in the municipality, and to promote harmony between this sector and the resident population.”
He had previously said that the code of conduct was to “attract new tourist markets from other nationalities”.
Portugal is the fifth most popular holiday destination for Brits, with around four million people visiting annually.
‘Must be mindful’
Its clampdown follows a similar move to keep the partying British in line as they holidayed in Spain.
Fines were introduced there for public drunkenness and nudity — along with a ban on boat parties.
The Canary Islands have launched anti-tourist protests against overcrowding and rising property prices due to tourism lets.
But Portugal, Spain and the Canaries are not the only places getting tough on troublemakers.
Croatian destinations Hvar and Split have also opted to implement huge fines, while Italy has targeted a more cultured set of tourists by demanding they do not mess around on famous landmarks.
Matt Mavir, managing director of stag and hen bash firm Last Night Of Freedom, said: “It’s a lazy assumption that those heading abroad for a stag or hen do are causing trouble.
“These are normal people just letting their hair down.
“But they must be respectful and mindful to make sure they don’t fall foul of the recently changed rules.
“These destinations have to strike the right balance — if Brits feel they’re being targeted or treated unfairly, they are likely to just go elsewhere.”
Here, The Sun brings you a guide to the fines you should watch out for across Europe.
Albufeira (Portugal)
- £1,500 fine for street nudity
- Up to £1,250 fine for peeing or having sex in public.
- Up to £1,250 fine for wearing bikini unless at beach or pool.
Lisbon (Portugal)
- Up to £1,700 fine for being noisy in quiet zone.
Ibiza (Spain)
- £300 fine for wearing bikini off-beach.
- £750 fine for public nudity except at nudist beach
- Up to £1,290 fine for street boozing
- Up to £2,258 fine for noise or vandalism.
- Six drink daily cap on all-inclusive booze deals
- No party boats
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
- Up to £2,600 fine for rowdy antics (vandalism, street drinking, fighting)
- Cap on cruise ships and hotel beds to limit tourists
- Six drink daily cap on all-inclusive booze deals
- No party boats
- £250 fine for wearing beach gear in city
Canary Islands (Spain)
- Up to £2,525 fine for street boozing
- Up to £2,500 fine for smoking on beach
- Up to £2,517 fine for BBQs, umbrellas and tents on beach
- Fines for not carrying photo ID
Barcelona (Spain)
- Up to £250 fine for pub crawls
- Up to £2,500 fine for littering
- Up to £510 fine for public boozing
- £250 fine for wearing beach gear in city
Malaga, Costa Del Sol (Spain)
- Up to £650 fine for wearing swim gear, going topless or naked off-beach
- Up to £426 fine for crossing road carelessly
- Up to £1,200 fine for littering
- Up to £250 for group boozing on street
- £650 for rude hen or stag accessories
Prague (Czech Republic)
- Set pub crawls banned 10pm-6am
- Up to £420 fine for being drunk/boozing in public
- Bid to ban lewd fancy dress
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Campaign to make Brit fellas aged 18 to 35 behave better
- Up to £120 fine for peeing or being drunk/rowdy in public
- £120 fine for littering
- Up to €1,000 fine for group disturbances
Split (Croatia)
- £250 fine for peeing in street, getting in fountain, vomiting in public or being topless/in a bikini.
- £125 fine for street sleeping
- Midnight bar closures
Hvar (Croatia)
- £515 fine for wearing swim gear off-beach
- £429 fine for going topless/wearing revealing outfit
- £600 fine for public boozing
- £57 fine for taking noble pen shells from beach
Sorrento (Italy)
- Up to £450 fine for going topless or wearing swim gear off-beach
Rome (Italy)
- £336 fine for sitting on Spanish Steps
- £378 fine for standing in any fountain, inc Trevi
Cinque Terre (Italy)
- £2,000 fine for hiking in flip-flops or sandals
- Mandatory one way routes
Greece
- Up to £760 fine for wearing high heels at archaeological sites
- Up to £250 fine for being topless in public
- £420 fine for smoking indoors
- Up to £771 fine for taking pebbles from beach
- Drones check sun loungers are 4m apart and 5m from sea
- 70% of beaches to be sunbed-free
France
- £42 fine for carrying oversized bag on train
- £1,270 fine for climbing on monuments
- £12,700 fine for being seen naked in hotel room
Respect is vital
LISA MINOT, Head of Travel
WHAT is it about holidays that makes some of us lose our minds – and often a lot more?
We wouldn’t grab a pint of milk at home in just a bikini.
Or relieve ourselves on the pavements.
But something leads Brits abroad to act very differently.
With protests against tourists across the Med, we’re doing ourselves no favours by upsetting locals.
So understand the rules and regulations in your chosen destination, be aware of cultural sensitivities.
Travel can be such a force for good if we behave as we would want others to when visiting us.