The Italian coastal beach town of Vietri Sul Mare on the Amalfi coast has sought to enforce a decree which bans the wearing of bikinis or bare chests anywhere but the immediate beach.
To date the move has been met with disbelief from most Italians who these days have become well acclimated to the scantily clad, the banal, the obnoxious, the extreme tastes of some locals never mind visiting tourists or esoteric politics that has brought Italy the infamous bunga bunga parties.
That said town directors are resolute on enforcing the ban in an effort to better protect the town’s image.
To that effect, town mayor Franco Benincasa has now levied the not to be ignored fine of up to 500 for those individuals who are caught flaunting bare skin on streets, in public areas and most of the marina of the upmarket sea town.
Reiterated town spokesperson Andrea Pellegrino: “The ban is essential to maintain the area’s image.”
Vietri Sul Mare’s is not the first town in the area to implement the controversial move. In 2010, another coastal town in the region, Castellammare di Stabia, passed a similar ban, outlawing ‘very skimpy clothes‘, alongside blasphemy and football kick abouts.
Local police commissioner Vincenzo Alfano said: ‘The ban was created to protect the image and decorum of all the townspeople and all the tourists in the area.
‘Very often we have witnessed indecent and shameful scenes of people entering public places such as bars and restaurants, shirtless or in costume.
‘In our opinion, it is an attitude that must be eliminated.’
But will it?
Mayor Francesco Benincasa went on to say recently: ‘By enforcing the law we wanted to warn those coming in Vietri that you need to observe a certain decorum when you are here.
‘As in many other seaside resorts of Italy, we in Vietri wanted to emphasize how respect and good behaviour go hand in hand with tourism. ‘
Violations will be strictly monitored by police and punished with a fine ranging from Euro 25 to 500. Not that will necessarily stop most of you anyway…
above image found here
