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Italian mayor gets shirty: Fines for bare chests and bikinis in Sorrento

The mayor of Sorrento in Italy has something to get off his chest. But he’d really prefer tourists keep their chests covered.

The mayor of Sorrento in Italy has something to get off his chest. But he’d really prefer tourists keep their chests covered.

CNN Travel reported that Sorrento Mayor Massimo Coppola has announced fines of 25 to 500 euros (AUD $37 – $742) for underdressed people in his town in a Facebook post on 6 July in a bid to protect the “quality of life”.

The bikini ban extends to toplessness for all genders and any other indecent behaviour or lack of clothing that might cause discomfort for Sorrento residents and other tourists.

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The pastel-pretty port in Sorrento, Italy.

“No more with the indecent behaviour,” Sorrento Mayor Mr Coppola wrote. “That’s why I signed the ordinance that prohibits people from walking around with a bare chest as well as in swimming suits.”

“These types of behaviours can be considered as a cause for unease and discomfort for both Sorrento residents and tourists.

“In this way we want to protect and improve the worthiness of living, quality of life and the decor inside the city centre and public spaces.”

The Sorrento stance on bikinis and bare chests follows similar rules in the Spanish holiday hotspots of Barcelona and Majorca, which imposed fines for wearing bikinis or being topless when not on the beach in May.

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Bikinis at Sorrento’s baths and beaches are A-OK.

The new rules do not extend to people sunning themselves at beach clubs or swimming pools.

The popular tourist town near Naples in Italy’s southwest is located on the idyllic Amalfi coast and attracts road-tripping crowds in the summer months.

The Amalfi coastline’s popularity as a road-tripping destination has also led to traffic rules that limit the number of cars visiting the peninsula to alternate days during peak times as part of a wider post-pandemic measure to limit tourism impacts on local communities.

Italy lifted its mask mandates for public transport and within indoor venues in mid-June in time for the summer period.