The island of Hvar has implemented a strict 'togs, togs, undies' policy. Photo / 123RF
The island of Hvar has implemented a strict 'togs, togs, undies' policy. Photo / 123RF
You might be able to walk down the street in your boardies in Bondi, but do the same thing in Europe this summer and you could risk an unpleasant travel souvenir.
Some of the world's most picturesque and popular holiday hot spots have been forced to issue strict crackdowns on tourist behaviour, as their cobbled streets and beachfront bars groan under the weight of millions of visitors.
So before you jet off to Europe this winter, here's what you need to know about what you can and can't do in some of the world's most beautiful cities.
CROATIA
The glamorous islands and clear blue waters of the Adriatic have made it a must do for Bey and Jay Z, the mega-rich, and any bunch of Aussies with enough cash to hire a yacht between them, but this year a visit to Hvar could leave you distinctly worse off.
Newly elected mayor Rikardo Novak has announced a controversial crackdown on tourist behaviour with signs erected advising tourists to "Save your money and enjoy Hvar".
Pictures posted on social media show tourists risk being fined up to EUR600 ($942) for wearing their budgie smugglers and bikini in the streets. Topless men or women in just a bikini top and shorts, could also risk being slapped with a EUR500 ($785) fine. Drinking and eating in public is also a new no-no, with fines of up to EUR700 ($1099).
Announcing the laws in June, Novak said tourists are welcome but must "learn how to behave."
A sign warning tourists in Hvar not to parade the streets in their bikini, or indulge in any picnicking. Photo / Facebook
"They are vomiting in town, urinating on every corner, walking without T-shirts [ ...] crawling around, unconscious," he told local media.
The move sparked debate online with some saying it was a sure fire way to turn off tourists and others arguing it was much-needed. It echoes complaints on the normally sedate island of Pag that turns into a festival hotspot in summer, with Mayor Ante Dabo complaining of the "primitivism, nakedness, drunkenness and discernment" of British tourists there.
The sedate island of Pag turns into a festival hotspot in summer. Photo / 123RF
SPAIN
Perhaps ground zero for Brits behaving badly is the Spanish town of Magaluf on the island of Mallorca, alongside Menorca and Ibiza in the Balearic Sea.
This year, authorities on all three islands have called for the European Union to ban alcohol on flights into the country to tackle "anti-social behaviour" on the islands renowned for stag and hen's dos, dance parties and open-air debauchery.
Authorities in Magaluf have gone one step further and published a list of 64 banned things with penalties ranging from EUR100 ($157) to EUR3000 ($4710).
Popular with graduates, stags and hens parties, what could go wrong in Magaluf? Photo / Getty Images
They range from the basic (no fighting in the street or giving false information) to things you would hope you wouldn't have to spell out (no defecating or sex acts in public). There are also some eyebrow raisers (no damaging flowers, carving names in tree bark) and other oddballs in the list like no collecting water from beach showers, or jumping off a balcony into a pool, known as "balconing".
The move is partly in response to footage of an 18-year-old woman reportedly performing sex acts on 24 men that went viral. It comes after the UK sent two members of its own police force to help out on a notorious strip of the party town.
On the mainland, Barcelona is also set to ramp up prices and crack down on hotel licences in a bid to deter the 32 million visitors that swamp the city of 1.6 million each year.
Pictures of French police making a woman remove her clothing on a Nice beach spread around the world last year as part of a strong response to terrorism that rocked the country. Fifteen beaches took part in the burkini ban including the island of Corsica with women risking a EUR150 ($235) fine to wear the garment.
Paris, which is Europe's most popular city along with London and Barcelona, suffered a drop in tourists due to recent terror attacks but has still cracked down on the amount of space available to play petanque, with the council believing it creates too much noise and dust.
ITALY
A number of Italian cities have been forced to crackdown on tourist behaviour due to the millions of people wanting a piece of la dolce vita. Verona fines tourists penalties ranging from EUR25 ($39) to EUR500 ($1149) for various activities including sleeping in public, eating in front of famous monuments, bathing in fountains or wearing bikinis in public, according to signs posted on social media.
Taking a bath in Rome's Trevi Fountain or even having a picnic nearby could leave you with a fine. Photo / 123RF
Rome has also cracked down on swimming or bathing in fountains, which can lead to a EUR500 ($785) fine. Dripping gelato or dropping crumbs all over the place is also a no-no for tourists, as is drinking in public in the summer which is banned from 10pm until 7am.
Tourist favourite Venice has banned swimming in the canals and is considering capping tourists at 70,000 a day in the city where visitors often outnumber locals. Protesters have previously made signs telling tourists they are the problem and the UN has warned the city could lose it's heritage status unless cruise ships are banned from the waterways.
