The lakeside town of Varenna on Italy's Lake Como has updated its urban police regulations to ban tourists from walking around in swimwear or shirtless anywhere within the municipal boundaries, with fines threatened for those who ignore the rule. The move reflects a wider trend among popular European destinations, which are increasingly imposing dress codes and other restrictions as they grapple with the pressures of mass tourism and try to preserve local character and decorum.

The new rules state that beach attire such as bikinis and bare chests is prohibited "throughout the entire municipal territory" outside of designated swimming areas, meaning visitors must cover up once they leave the lakeshore. Varenna, a small but highly popular village on Lake Como, joins other Italian and European hotspots that have introduced similar measures amid growing concern over overcrowding and behaviour linked to overtourism, such as the recently reported congestion along the Amalfi Coast.