Picture the scene: you’ve spent the morning swimming in Lake Como, the sun is blazing and you fancy wandering into the village for a spot of lunch. Well, you better make sure to cover up – that’s the message from Varenna, the impossibly pretty fishing village on Como’s eastern shore, which has just introduced fines of up to €200 (around £170) for anyone strolling its streets shirtless or in swimwear.
Under the new rules, beach attire is strictly reserved for the lakeside and boat trips – wander into the village’s squares, shops, restaurants or churches in your trunks and you’re risking a fine of between €50 and €200.
The crackdown doesn’t stop at your wardrobe, as tour groups are now capped at 25 people, banned from clogging up Varenna’s narrow cobbled streets, and guides can no longer use loudspeakers.
Why the tough love? Varenna has a year-round population of roughly 650 people, and hundreds of thousands of visitors. Mayor Mauro Manzoni said, as reported by the Guardian, that the village is proud of its popularity, but insisted that ‘our residents’ quality of life cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mass tourism’.
Locals seem delighted, with shop owners telling Italian media the measure was overdue. Essentially, wear whatever you like on the beach, but dress properly when you’re browsing the deli.
Overtourism in Italy
Italy has spent the last few years asking tourists to behave. Sorrento introduced fines for wandering around in swimwear back in 2022, Portofino created ‘no-waiting zones’ to stop selfie-takers clogging its harbour in 2023, Venice’s day-tripper entry fee is back for 2026 with even more chargeable dates, and earlier this year, Capri capped tour group sizes and banned loudspeakers too. The message from Italy’s most beautiful places is loud and clear (though not via loudspeaker, obviously): you’re very welcome – just maybe with a shirt on.
So if Lake Como is on your list this summer – and honestly, why wouldn’t it be – pack a t-shirt for your village strolls. Your wallet and sunburn will thank you later.
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