This Italian Hotspot Is Issuing Fines For Wearing Bikinis

The mayor of the popular Italian resort town of Sorrento issued an ordinance prohibiting tourists from walking in swimsuits or bare-chested. Violators face fines upwards of 500 euros ($503).

Mayor Massimo Coppola said last week that the ordinance was issued over concerns of “quality of life.” He claimed that locals were upset about seeing bare flesh, which damaged the town's reputation.

In public statements, Coppola called for the end of "indecent behavior." The ordinance will be enforced by Sorrento Municipal Police officers.

Other coastal towns — they include Venice, Praia a Mare and Rapallo — have imposed similar dress code ordinances.

Sorrento, which drew about 3 million visitors a year before the pandemic, is located in Campania in southern Italy. It is near the Amalfi Coast and about 30 miles south of Naples. Sorrento has a population of about 16,000.

This isn’t the only law in Sorrento that affects tourists, as access to the coast is limited to a 22-mile stretch from Vietri sul Mar and Positano, which only allows vehicles with plates that end in odd numbers on odd number days of the month and those with even number plates to enter on even calendar days.

CNN noted that the vehicle-access rules run through August from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends from June 15 to Sept. 30. In addition, the law applies during Holy Week and from April 24 to May 22.