This Popular Lake Como Village Is Fining Tourists For A Common Vacation Behavior

A version of "no shirt, no shoes, no service" is finding its way to the Italian village of Varenna, on the east side of Lake Como. As of June 27, 2026, if you're caught wearing a swimsuit or going shirtless when you're not at one of Varenna's "beaches, piers, and boat docks," you face a €50 to €200 fine, according to the city's tourism website. It's not clear if you get a warning to put something on first or if it's an immediate fine, nor is it clear just how much of a cover up counts as not wearing a swimsuit, and if something sheer would suffice. The bottom line is it's better not to risk it; remember that you're visiting a place where people live and work, and cover up.

"Varenna is a wonderful village, and we are proud to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year," explained Varenna's mayor Mauro Manzoni via The Guardian. "However, our residents' quality of life cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mass tourism."

According to City Population, around 650 people live in this picturesque lakefront town with cobblestone streets and colorful houses — with all the history and beauty you can find here, it's no wonder that Varenna is one of Rick Steves' favorite beach hideaways. Along with how pretty it is, this fishing village, which dates back to the 8th century, is about an hour and a half train ride or drive north from Milan, making it easy for a lot of day trippers to come in for a nice summer outing (via Italy Magazine).

Varenna, Italy, is not the first place to start policing what people are wearing out in public. According to CNN, other places in Italy, like Sorrento on the Bay of Naples, as well as some coastal destinations in Spain, have started fining people for wearing swimsuits when they're not at the beach. France's Les Sables d'Olonne has also introduced fines for wearing swimwear beyond the beach, per The New Daily.

There are other new rules in place for tourists in Varenna, along with the fine for beachwear when not at the beach. According to the town's official tourism website, tour groups are now limited to just 25 people, and they can't block the streets or plazas. Tour guides are also banned from using any loudspeakers or amplification. It sounds like the town council is also thinking about making a specific guided tour route for Varenna visitors in the future, given that tour groups are prohibited from congregating in certain areas. It might depend on how the current rules help alleviate issues of crowded, impassable streets in the historic sections of town.

These new policies fit with the trend of fed up locals working to battle overtourism. It's not an outright ban on tourists, but just more explicit expectations on good behavior. It's a fine line the town is walking — trying to keep locals happy while also welcoming visitors, with everyone on the same page for what kind of behavior is acceptable.