Barcelona bans bikinis on its streets
Tourists who attempt to stroll bare-chested or in swimwear through the streets of Barcelona will be ordered to cover up or face fines of up to £260 under a ban that came into force this week
6:09PM BST 31 May 2011
The Catalan capital has prohibited beachwear beyond the playa in an attempt to clean up its image and rid the city streets of unsightly flesh.
The by-law has been introduced following a long campaign by residents and local businesses sick of the sight of tourists wandering around the streets, dining in restaurants and visiting shops in various states of undress.
"Some people who live here are bothered by tourists who go about wearing just a bikini in the street, or men with their shirts off," said Assumpta Escarp, a Barcelona councillor who fought for the ban.
"We have to maintain standards."
Barcelona's urban police force will be able to impose on the spot penalties to those who refuse to cover up. But guidelines as to what is considered appropriate street clothing are vague.
The exceptions will be on the beach itself, the seafront promenade, and the streets adjacent to the beach.
Fines of between 120 and 300 euros (£100 – £262) will be issued to those going "seminude" and between 300-500 euros (£265 and £440) to those who dare to bare all away from the designated nudist beach.
Barcelona attracted an estimated half a million British tourists last year, many of them flying in for weekend stag or hen parties.
Last year the city attempted to encourage tourists to dress appropriately while visiting the city's famous tourist sites, including Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia.
Posters showing a stick figure couple in swimming costumes with a red line through it were put up at sites across the city ahead of the last summer season and hotels, bars and restaurants in the tourist areas were asked to display the signs.
The decision to go a step further and impose a ban has been publicised with the distribution this week of 15,000 leaflets across the city, handed out to tourists on arrival at hotels.
The by-law was passed by the city council last month and came into force on Sunday.
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