Tourists in the popular Portuguese city of Albufeira may soon be banned from wandering through their streets in swimwear or face a huge fine.
The city of Beachs in the South Algarve region, a beloved of the British Leia, reviewed their Code of Code, explicitly prohibited people from being in a state of partial or complete nudity in public areas.
According to the new plans, anyone who wears bikinis or goes without a shirt away from the beach can be fined up to € 1,500 (1250 British pounds).
Albufeira joins a relatively long list of European cities with similar laws, including Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Nice.
The city boasts beautiful beaches and a living nightlife, but its reputation as a party destination has damaged the image of Albufeira.
Last year, eight British men were filmed to dance completely naked at a bar in the wide daylight of Rua Dah Dah, the main party lane of Albufeira. Videos became viral and Portuguese police were able to identify tourists.
This sparked an emergency meeting with the local council, security forces and business, and Mayor Jose Carlos Rolo promised to break into “excessive” tourist behavior.
Ther Proposal document (in Portuguese) He states that the “emergency” change is necessary to “keep the Albufeire as a multicultural, family and safe destination”.
It also prohibits sexual acts in public – another local trouble.
The rules extend to terraces that can be seen from public spaces, and business operators that have been found to have allowed bad behavior can also face significant fines.
The proposal is currently for public counseling, but can be introduced in time for the summer.