European cities crack down on swimwear outside beaches

Europe is increasingly turning away from those who walk around in swimwear outside of beaches: Málaga has decided to impose fines of up to €750, Capri €500, and most recently, the French town of Les Sables-d’Olonne €150 for anyone walking through the city naked or in swimwear in supermarkets, markets, and city center streets, writes adnkronos.it.

The measure was enacted through a decree by mayor Yannick Moreau, who announced the ban—both banal and controversial—in a Facebook post, CE Report quotes ATA.

“It’s a matter of respect for residents. In our shops, our markets, and our streets, we dress properly. In other words: beachwear, outside the beach, is considered a problem. A problem of elegance, but also of urban integrity,” he wrote.

The issue, however, is not just regulatory. It is cultural. Italy has an ambiguous relationship with the body and with summer informality.

Beachwear is considered part of the tourist identity—almost folkloric. But this flexibility risks collapsing when tourism numbers become overwhelming and urban centers become overcrowded.