Soon it’ll be the summer holidays and families across the UK will be jetting off to sunny destinations to enjoy a well-earned break. However, before doing so, you may want to brush up on the local laws, or risk facing fines.
In some popular hotspots, fines can even reach over £1,000, setting you back even further after forking out some money for the trip itself. One popular destination that has introduced fines is Italy, where tourists could face on-the-spot fines of £426 (€500) for wearing swimwear away from the beach. In the city of Sorrento, this is against the local decency laws, as is going shirtless.
And it’s not just Italy where this is the case; you could also face fines for doing the same in Barcelona.
In Spain, you could also face fines if you’re found to be vaping in your hotel room. Lewis Clark, founder of Vape Delivery explains: “Many hotels abroad have a zero-tolerance smoking policy.
“Even if you’re using a vape, it can still set off alarms and lead to fines, cleaning fees, or even eviction from the hotel. Tourists in Spain can be hit with bills up to £1705 or €2,000 after triggering alarms in smoke-free zones.”
Those jetting off to the ever-popular Canary Islands should avoid saving sunbeds with a towel, unless you want to pay a £85 fine.
While not every hotel or resort is enforcing this rule, it may be worth checking if yours is. And even if not, there are plenty of hotels where staff have been instructed to remove these towels.
Tourists visiting Sardinia and hoping to bring some shells from the beach back with them should be prepared to fork out a whopping £2,558 (€3,000).
Sardinian local authorities are cracking down hard on the rule and airport staff have been known to search luggage to find these shells.
Finally, those making the trip to Portugal should be wary of playing loud music on the beach. In some parts of the country, including the Algarve, playing loud music in public places can land you with a £255 (€300) fine, even if it’s played through your mobile phone.
So if you’re planning a beach party, best to check the local rules first or visit a beach club where you don’t have to play your music.