Buzz
It's common knowledge that when traveling internationally, you must respect the laws and customs of the country you're visiting. Naturally, activities like drug trafficking, espionage, and other serious offenses can lead to steep fines or even an extended stay in jail. Breaking the law abroad means facing the legal system of that country.
But there are also some rather surprising actions that could get you into trouble while traveling. Tourists have been penalized or jailed for doing things that many of us would consider typical holiday behavior. With cities overwhelmed by tourists, the Italians, in particular, have started imposing fines to restore some order, while wearing swimwear in public or stepping on money can cause problems in other places.
Here are ten surprising rules that you should avoid breaking on your next trip overseas.
10. Taking a Souvenir Home
Who hasn’t returned from a beach vacation with a shell or pebble as a souvenir? In Cornwall, local officials became increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of tourists taking beach pebbles, leading them to impose heavy fines. In 2018, one tourist was required to travel hundreds of miles to return the pebbles he had taken to avoid a £1,000 fine. Similarly, in Sardinia, authorities have adopted a tough stance against tourists who remove sand from their beaches.
While some souvenir hunters might seem relatively harmless, there are others who cross the line into vandalism, like the tourist who took a piece of the Colosseum in Rome to keep as a memento, or the woman who thought it was acceptable to steal tiles from Pompeii. Perhaps they missed the widely known “responsible tourism” saying, “Take nothing but photos; leave nothing but footprints.”
9. Eating in Public in Florence
Strolling through Florence with a gelato in hand or sitting in a piazza to enjoy a pizza lunch seems like a typical vacation activity. However, like many popular Italian cities, Florence's residents have grown frustrated with the influx of tourists.
Tourists picnicking in public spaces, blocking doorways, sitting on church steps, and often leaving behind a mess have not only become a nuisance but have also caused damage to important tourist sites. To address the issue, local authorities initially started washing down the church steps and cobblestones that tourists frequently gathered on at lunchtime. When that didn't work, the city enforced fines ranging from €150–500 for eating outside during lunch and dinner hours.
When you visit Florence during mealtimes, it's now mandatory to dine indoors at a restaurant or cafe.
8. Riding Bikes or Going Shirtless in Venice
Venice has also started fining tourists in order to maintain a certain level of decorum. The city has introduced several new regulations, including a prohibition on being shirtless or wearing swimwear anywhere within the canal zone.
If you're caught dressed improperly, you could face a fine of up to €500, even if you're lounging on a boat in the lagoon. Riding a bike in Venice might seem like an affordable transportation choice, but you could end up paying a €100 fine for it.
Just like Florence, Venice has introduced fines for eating in public in popular tourist areas to help address the issues caused by unruly visitors. While these might seem like minor offenses, city authorities are ready to impose a lifetime ban from entering Venice if you don't follow their new rules.
7. Bathing in a Roman Fountain
While dipping into a Roman fountain may seem like the ideal way to cool off on a sweltering summer day, even putting your feet in the water now comes with a steep fine. Just like in Venice and Florence, Rome is cracking down on unruly tourists. The city has introduced rules on 'proper attire' and prohibited sitting on fountains, steps, or even on the ground for an Italian picnic.
In an effort to fight 'tourist vandals,' the city has also made it illegal to bathe in any of the fountains. While fining tourists who strip down to their underwear for a swim seems reasonable, even dipping your feet into the water now breaches the new city ordinances. A splash in the iconic fountains will cost you €450.
6. Hiking in Flip-Flops
If you're planning to visit the famous Cinque Terre seaside resort this summer, don't forget to bring your hiking boots. That's right—wearing sandals or 'flip-flops' in certain areas of the resort can result in a hefty fine, possibly as high as $4,000.
Local rescue teams have grown increasingly frustrated with having to rescue ill-prepared tourists. Many travelers set out for walks between seaside towns, not realizing that the paths connecting the villages are steep mountain trails. Wearing inadequate summer footwear, countless tourists have had to be saved after getting stranded on these rugged goat tracks.
In an effort to promote common sense, local National Park authorities have started imposing heavy fines on anyone found on the trails without proper footwear.
5. Bringing Plastic to Capri
The residents of the beautiful Italian island of Capri take great pride in maintaining the pristine nature of their paradise. So it comes as no surprise that they've joined the global movement to ban single-use plastics.
Plastic straws and cups will no longer be available at any of the island's restaurants and cafes. To protect Capri's untouched beauty, tourists caught with single-use plastics will face fines of up to €500. So, if you're planning a picnic on Capri, make sure to bring along a traditional wicker picnic basket.
4. Overstaying Your Welcome at the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage mausoleum in Agra, is one of the most visited sites in the world. In fact, up to 50,000 tourists flock to the site daily to admire its breathtaking beauty.
However, the sheer volume of tourists has become unsustainable, making it increasingly difficult to snap that perfect selfie by the reflection pool. As a result, authorities have started enforcing strict time limits for visitors to the monument.
Not only do you need to pre-book your tickets, but if you fail to show up at your assigned time, you won’t be allowed entry. Once inside, you’ll only have three hours to take in the majestic splendor of the Taj Mahal. If you overstay your welcome, expect to be fined when you exit the gates.
3. Taking Photos
Taking photos to capture your holiday moments is a natural instinct. Long before you even return home, many of us have uploaded them to social media to share our travels with family and friends. However, in some countries, snapping a photo can result in a fine, confiscation of your camera gear, and even jail time.
In 2018, a British tourist in Egypt found himself arrested over a seemingly innocent airport photo that unintentionally included a military helicopter in the background. The French can also be quite protective about photographing their security forces, so a casual snapshot with a gendarme might result in your camera being taken away.
In the UAE, it's illegal to take a photo of any stranger without their written consent if they happen to be in the background, while in Saudi Arabia, photos of monuments and palaces are frowned upon. Some memories are better saved with a postcard.
2. Wearing Swimwear
Swimwear is the first thing many of us pack for a summer holiday by the sea. Some of us envision spending our entire vacation in our bathing suits.
We are all familiar with the need to dress modestly in many Asian and Middle Eastern nations. However, certain European destinations are now imposing rules banning swimwear away from the beach (as seen in Venice, for example). Many locals are upset by tourists wandering around their cities in various degrees of undress. This applies not only to women in bikinis but also to men walking around shirtless.
In 2011, Barcelona began imposing fines on tourists who fail to get fully dressed before leaving the beach. If you head to a cafe in just your bikini, you could be fined €300 for being 'semi-nude.'
1. Stepping on a Banknote in Thailand
The Thai people hold their royal family in great reverence, and the country's strict lese-majeste law is rigorously enforced, affecting both locals and tourists. Under Thai law, any negative comments about the royal family are prohibited. This includes speculating about the king's health or defacing images of the king.
Breaking the lese-majeste law can result in an extended stay behind bars. This includes stepping on a banknote, as the king's face appears on Thai currency. In Thailand, touching someone with your foot is considered a severe insult, so accidentally stepping on a Thai baht is a violation of the lese-majeste law.
