What you need to know about European beach etiquette

If your travel plans include relaxing on European beaches this summer, be sure to pack appropriate cover-ups.

Despite the European Travel Commission’s report of decreased travel demand to Europe this year, some local governments are implementing stricter regulations to address public indecency and drunkenness among tourists.

In 2024, a video of eight British men dancing naked in broad daylight in a bar in Albufeira, Portugal, went viral. The city’s mayor reacted with a new plan to introduce fines of up to 1,500 euros ($1,633) for going shirtless or wearing a bikini beyond the beach, according to the BBC.

Similar rules are in place in several other European beach destinations. Time Out reported that in Malaga, a city on Spain’s Costa del Sol, the local council recently updated existing rules. Visitors who go shirtless on streets and in public spaces can now be fined up to 750 euros ($816). Meanwhile, Barcelona and Mallorca can levy fines for those wearing swimsuits when not on the beach.

Sorrento, the gateway to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, made headlines in 2022 for banning swimsuits with fines of up to 500 euros ($544). According to The Local, the island of Lipari (in the Aeolian archipelago off the coast of Sicily) and Tropea (in Calabria) put similar bans on the books in 2013 and 2019, respectively.

Per Monaco Life, it’s forbidden to walk around city streets in a swimsuit in several towns on the French Riviera, including Nice, Menton, Cannes, St. Tropez and St. Raphael.

The same goes for Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia, according to The Dubrovnik Times.

Respecting local customs

A 500 euro ($543.80) fine may be extreme, but tourists should respect local customs while traveling — even in places without fines.

Though customs around dress and decorum are loosening in much of the Mediterranean, locals generally dress for the occasion. That means business casual attire at work, swimsuits at the beach and athletic clothes at the gym.

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It’s rare to see locals in countries like Italy, Spain, France and Greece walking around city streets in athleisure wear or wearing swimsuits without some kind of cover-up. They certainly wouldn’t walk into a church without covering their shoulders.

Additionally, though upscale restaurants rarely enforce the elegant dress codes that were more common in the past, patrons are generally expected to dress well when dining at them.

Men may not need a jacket and tie, but they should avoid wearing shorts and flip-flops. Women don’t necessarily need to wear a dress and heels, but they should also leave the flip-flops and shorts at home. When in doubt, look around and see what the locals are wearing.

“Spain is very similar to Italy,” Lori Zaino, a Madrid-based freelance writer, said. She explained that while the culture has slightly changed over the past few years, you won’t see “gym clothes outside the gym, and the Spanish would never walk around in swimsuits or men, topless in the streets. If you see a flip-flop in Madrid, that’s an immediate sign of a tourist!”

“Fashion and image are important in places like Italy and Spain, and I think it seems disrespectful, culturally, to see people not following the unofficial (though now, in some cities, official!) dress codes," Zaino added.

“I do think there is that sense of respect,” said Athens-based Andria Mitsakos, president and CEO of the namesake public relations agency and founder of Anthologist, an interior product line. She explained that when she goes to the beach in Greece, she always brings something to change into for lunch.

What to know before you go

So, if you’re planning to visit a European beach this summer, there are some things you should know.

You can seek out the free beaches and set up your towels and umbrella on the sand. Or, you can go to one of the many beach clubs (known in Greece as organized beaches and in Italy as "lido" or "stabilimenti balneari").

Beach clubs generally charge a flat rate for the day (sometimes offering a discount if you come in the afternoon) or seasonal rates. You can specify if you want a sun bed, lounge chair or an umbrella, and the staff will assign you a spot.

Once you reach your spot, it’s safe to lay out your towel and disrobe. Some beach clubs — especially in Italy — have showers, changing rooms and public bathrooms where you can change into your swimsuit in a pinch. Don’t expect to find any facilities at the free beaches, though.

“You wear your swimsuit to the beach with a coverup or clothes on top, then strip down upon arrival,” Zaino said, explaining that there aren’t many changing facilities on the beaches in Spain.

“It’s sort of ironic that going topless on the beach for women is completely socially acceptable, but once you step foot off the sands, everyone is fully covered once again, and even men won’t walk around shirtless," she added.

If you’re headed to especially popular beaches, it’s wise to call and book a spot at your preferred beach club in advance.

You should also book in advance to eat at the beach club’s restaurant. Some clubs are particularly renowned for their food, but even very basic ones usually serve simple sandwiches, espresso and ice cream.

In Italy, making or buying food and drinks elsewhere and bringing them to the beach is generally acceptable (and quite common). However, as The New York Times reported last year, many beach clubs have banned patrons from bringing their own food. In Greece, locals are more likely to bring iced coffee or a snack to the beach and then go out to lunch in the late afternoon, between 4 and 5 p.m.

“For me, the perfect Greek summer day is lunching until the moon rises. Every lunch turns into aperitivo, which turns into dinner,” Mitsakos said. “A Greek summer day should organically flow from one moment to the next.”

Just bring a beach bag with a change of clothes to prepare for whatever the day might bring.

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