Tourists in the Portuguese beach city of Albufeira may face huge fines if they walk through the city in only their swimwear under new proposals.
The party city in the southern Algarve region, a popular beach destination amongst British tourists, could start dishing out fines up to €1,500 (£1,250) for those who wander the city’s streets in only a bikini or swimming trunks.
It would not be the first European city to introduce such rules, Barcelona, Malaga, Dubrovnik, Nice and Sorrento are among the spots which have similar rules in place.
With stunning beaches on the Portuguese coast, Albufeira is looking to boost its image after developing a reputation as one of the country’s most popular party spots.
The proposals aim to preserve Albufeira as a “multicultural, family-friendly and safe destination, which values its heritage and identity”, the proposals read.
The city’s authorities fear that excessive nudity in public throughout the city may do “undesirable damage to the resident population and the image of the municipality as a tourist destination”.
Viral videos of eight British men dancing naked in a bar in Rua da Oura, the city’s main party strip, prompted authorities to crack down on perceived anti-social behaviour by tourists.
José Rolo, president of Albufeira City Council, slammed the tourists and called for tighter nightlife control, according to The Portugal News. He promised a crackdown on bad tourist behaviour.
All sexual acts are also banned, the document says, as is camping, urinating, and drinking alcohol.
The rules include terraces which can be seen from public spaces – presumably including open beach bars – meaning that business operators who have permitted this behaviour may also be subject to significant fines.
The proposal will now go through a public consultation stage.
