Lake Como village imposes fines on bare-chested tourists

Varenna, a small settlement on the western shore of Lake Como, has imposed penalties of up to €200 on tourists caught wandering the village in bare chests or swimwear, according to the Guardian. The authorities say the measure is designed to preserve the character of the historic waterfront and enforce standards of public decorum in the village's narrow streets and piazzas.

The move reflects a widening pattern across Italy's most visited destinations: as international tourism has surged, local authorities have begun imposing dress codes and behaviour restrictions to manage the friction between heritage preservation and the demands of mass summer travel. Venice's day-tripper levy, introduced in 2024, marked one early attempt to regulate visitor flow and conduct; Varenna's fine represents a parallel effort to police appearance itself.