This beach town in Portugal imposes hefty fines for breaking the dress code

Albufeira is a famous tourist spot in the southern Algarve province of Portugal. The city, known for its beautiful beaches and other tourist attractions, lures millions of tourists from all over the globe every year, especially from neighbouring European nations like France, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the authorities have proposed a few guidelines, including dress codes and a strict code of conduct for tourists visiting Albufeira. Tourists roaming around the city wearing swimwear or skimpy outfits are common in Albufeira. However, as per the latest rules, walking around the streets and wearing swimwear has been banned. Those who break these rules would be charged with hefty fines.

What are the rules?
Tourists who walk out of the beach wearing just biking or without wearing a shirt may be fined up to 1,500 euros (Rs 1,36,917). If the tourists are caught fully nude, the fine may go up to 1800 euros. Mayor Jose Carlos Martins Rollo proposed these guidelines in a meeting with the local council, police force, and business owners. Indulging in sexual activities in public places, too, would be banned. The hotels would be warned of severe repercussions and fines if such activities were spotted on their terraces, which could be visible from public areas.

Welcoming families
The order notes that the guidelines have been recommended to preserve Albufeira as a culturally affable, safe and family-friendly destination. These guidelines posted online for seeking public opinion will come into effect this summer if the local residents approve them. The public can express their opinion about the proposed code of conduct within 30 days. Meanwhile, the visitors can wear swimwear on the beaches, public bathhouses and the public pool areas of the hotels.

Targeting the British?
Albufeira is undoubtedly one of the Britons' favourite tourist destinations. As per a recent report, around 5.2 million tourists visited the Algarve last year. Among them, 4.4 million were Britons, followed by 1.13 million Germans and 9,67,000 Irish tourists. Tourists’ rude or uncouth behaviour has severely affected the city's goodwill.

Last year, eight British men had danced naked on top of a bar in Rua da Oura, igniting controversy. Public drinking, urinating or defecating in the streets and spitting are some of the most annoying challenges faced by the city’s authorities. They have been forced to develop a code of conduct for the tourists as they realised the city would soon lose its family-friendly atmosphere if this continues. Albufeira, with its scintillating beaches, exciting water parks and expansive golf courses, have become a prominent family vacation spot in the country.

Night parties
The Strip, an area in the centre of Albufeira town, is known as the party street for its countless theme bars, nightclubs, restaurants and open-air discotheques. Meanwhile, Avenida Francisco Sa Carneiro is the most popular one, where night parties light up the streets.

Rules in Europe
Not just in Albufeira, such rules and guidelines exist in many popular tourist spots across Europe. In cities like Barcelona and Mallorca in Spain, people cannot walk in the streets or visit local shops or restaurants wearing swimwear or skimpy clothes. The offenders would be charged with fines of up to 300 euros. Meanwhile, in the coastal towns of Split, Dubrovnik and Havr in Croatia, exposing a naked chest or wearing swimwear in public would attract a fine of 150 euros, while it would go up to a hefty sum of 4000 euros for public drinking.

Tourists and local residents roaming around topless in the French city of Nice will be charged with a fine of 35 euros. In 2022, the authorities in the Amalfi Coast in southwest Italy announced that anyone caught walking around the streets wearing just a two-piece swimming costume would be charged with a fine of 500 euros.