Two hundred euros is the maximum amount that anyone who decides to walk bare-chested or in a swimsuit off the beach risks. A rule that the small Lecco village of Varenna, on Lake Como, approved last June 26 and which in recent days has crossed national borders, ending up in the pages of the Guardian.
The news spreads across Great Britain
The British newspaper told its readers the story of the “little pearl” of the Lario, describing it as yet another Italian attempt to stem the excesses of overtourism. It is not surprising that the news found space in Great Britain: English tourists have always flocked to the shores of the lake, perhaps second only to the Americans attracted by the Clooney effect, and Varenna remains one of the most loved destinations for those arriving from the United Kingdom.
Bare chest and swimsuit ban
The city council approved resolution no. 15 of 26 June 2026, which modifies the Urban Police Regulation adopted in 2023. Article 32, entitled “Decorum on clothing”, prohibits being bare-chested or in costume throughout the municipal territory, with the exception of beaches, piers and boat piers. Anyone who violates the rule risks, according to the sanctioning framework attached to the regulation, a fine of between 50 and 200 euros.
Tour groups limited to 25 people
The second intervention, governed by article 50, instead affects large tourist groups, which are increasingly difficult to manage in the narrow alleys of the village. Organized groups cannot exceed 25 people and any accompanying persons will be absolutely prohibited from using loudspeakers and any other form of voice amplification. The regulation precisely lists the areas where groups will not be able to stop even in the passive phases of the visit: Piazzetta Brenta, Piazza San Giovanni, Via IV Novembre, Via Corrado Venini, Via Enrico Fermi, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, the “Giorgio Monico” walkway, Riva Grande and Riva dei Marmisti, Via XX Settembre and the historic districts. The Council also reserves the right to establish mandatory itineraries for groups. Violations fall on the tourist guide, with a fine of 100 to 400 euros and, in the event of a repeat offense, a ban from practicing the profession in the municipal area for a period of between 3 and 12 months. School groups on educational visits and speakers are excluded from this discipline.
It is not an isolated case: other villages had already followed the same path
The case of Varenna is part of a trend that starts from afar and which has the aim of counteracting the problems caused by mass tourism. Already in April 2023 Portofino had paved the way with an ordinance by the mayor Matteo Viacava against gatherings in the square and on the Umberto I pier, a hunting ground for the perfect selfie, with fines of up to 275 euros, in force until 15 October of that year.
On the clothing front, the forerunner was Favignana, where from 1 June 2024 an ordinance by the mayor Francesco Forgione prohibited walking around in costume or bare-chested in the historic center and in some public buildings, including Palazzo Florio, with fines from 25 to 150 euros, valid until 30 September.
More recent, and on a different front, is the intervention of Acireale, where in July 2025 the mayor Roberto Barbagallo banned loud music on boats within 500 meters of the coast, after protests from residents of Capo Mulini and Santa Maria La Scala. In this case the fines could reach up to 20,000 euros, a figure that shows how the issue of public peace is now treated with the same rigor as urban decorum.
Sources: Municipal Urban Police Regulation of the Municipality of Varenna, articles. 32 and 50 (city council resolution no. 15 of 26.6.2026, which modifies resolution no. 38 of 27.11.2023) / The Guardian
