Lake Como village imposes fines on bare-chested tourists; Riviera faces overtourism reckoning

Varenna, a fishing village on Lake Como in northern Italy, has imposed fines of up to €200 on tourists who wander around with bare chests or in swimwear, the Guardian reported Tuesday. The authorities say the measure is meant to preserve the character of the village and enforce standards of public decorum. The move marks the latest attempt by an Italian holiday destination to regulate tourist behaviour in the face of mounting overtourism.

The ordinance reflects a widening friction between Mediterranean and Alpine destinations and the summer visitors they depend on economically. Varenna's fishing heritage and narrow stone streets—typical of the Riviera and lake towns that draw millions annually—are now being formally policed. The Guardian's report suggests the fine is intended as a deterrent, though enforcement and the precedent it sets remain unclear.

For Liguria and the broader Riviera, Varenna's move signals a shift in how coastal and lakeside communities are responding to tourism saturation. The region's tourism boards have long promoted the Mediterranean coastline—Portofino, Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast—as intimate, authentic destinations, yet summer crowds now number in the millions. Sorriso Boat Tours, a tour operator on the Amalfi Coast, recently told Business Insider that September is the region's best-kept secret precisely because summer crowds overwhelm the experience. The inference is clear: peak-season tourism has become unsustainable in the form it takes.

Varenna's ordinance is not the first such measure. Italian towns have experimented with visitor caps, entry fees, and behaviour codes as overtourism has strained infrastructure and altered local life. What distinguishes this moment is the explicit regulation of dress and public conduct—a more invasive form of tourism management than pricing or access controls. The Guardian report does not detail how Varenna plans to enforce the fines or what authority will levy them, leaving open questions about practical implementation. Yet the message is unmistakable: Mediterranean and Alpine destinations are now willing to publicly rebuke visitors for failing to conform to local norms, a posture that reflects both desperation and resentment.