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Skinny-dipping in a Venice canal cost these 2 tourists more than $6,600

Sept. 19, 2019
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2 min read
Canal Grande and Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Skinny-dipping in a Venice canal cost these 2 tourists more than $6,600
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Two Czech tourists really made a splash on Monday night when they decided to go for a little dip in the buff near the Piazza San Marco in Venice. According to CNN, they decided to do so because it was "a particularly warm evening." Police said the incident involved "two men, completely nude, intent on laughing and joking with each other, and trying to catch the attention of passersby."

Related: How to get to Italy on points and miles

They were visiting Italy for a soccer match between Slavia Prague and Inter Milan — and ultimately, fined around 3,000 euros (about $3,320) each for "obscene behavior."

Officials were alerted to the behavior by people walking by the canal and, originally, thought they were in trouble. When they realized what was going on, they immediately made the naked tourists get dressed and brought them down to the station.

The city of Venice has really been cracking down on tourists behaving badly, following a string of incidents similar to this one. In 2018, Venice's mayor signed an ordinance to separate tourists from local residents, calling the policies “urgent measures to guarantee public safety, security and livability in the historic city of Venice.”

Last September, the city was considering a nightly ban on public alcohol consumption after 7 p.m., and earlier this year, it enforced a day fee on visitors.

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In fact, Venice isn't the only Italian city trying to combat some of the ill effects of overtourism. This past summer, Rome enforced a slew of strict bans in an effort to combat some not-so-responsible tourist behavior.

Related: 8 mistakes tourists always make in Venice

If you are planning a trip to Venice (or anywhere in the world), you'll want to make sure you're on your best behavior. And whatever you do, just save the swimming for an actual pool.

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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