US tourists face $300 fine after they break little-known European holiday hotspot rule

An American couple decided to go on a run while on holiday in Italy – and accidentally commited a costly faux pas.

It's no secret that cultural customs vary from country to country, with actions that would be seen as completely fine at home raising eyebrows or causing offence while you're overseas.

This is exactly what happened to Julia Latoff and her boyfriend, Mike Naccarella, whose morning jog very nearly ended up with the couple coming close to receiving a €250 ($290) fine.

While on their run, the couple noticed that locals were shaking their heads and looking disapprovingly at them.

After one man shouted, 'This isn’t a beach,' as they ran past, Julia and Mike stopped to research which part of their behaviour was offending people.

And it turns out, it's against the law to go shirtless while walking (or running) around Italy's floating city.

Who knew?

Introduced in 2018 and outlined on the Venice City Council website, it is forbidden to walk around either shirtless or wearing swimwear, which explains why locals weren't impressed by Mike's bare chest.

The penalty for breaking the rule? A fine of €250 ($290 or £214).

"It was early July and very hot, so my boyfriend was running without a shirt, which is the norm in NYC in the summer where we live," Julia explained in an interview with Newsweek, revealing that the couple often enjoy getting to know a new city through running.

"We had also run in Florence earlier that week and saw other shirtless runners, so we didn't think anything of it!"

As soon as the couple realised their mistake, Julia explained that they took shelter in a nearby alleyway to assess their options.

Several miles away from their accommodation and not wanting to risk getting a fine, Julia enlisted Mike's sister to purchase an emergency T-shirt, meaning her partner was able to finish his run in a shirt featuring Michelangelo's 'The Creation of Adam' and Aperol Spritz.

"As soon as we realised what they were upset about, we hid in an alley and bought a shirt. It was an honest mistake, and we felt bad and embarrassed," Julia added.

"Sorry Venetian people, we didn't know."

What else can you be fined for in Venice?

Heading to the Italian tourist hotspot and don't want to find yourself in a similar situation to Julia and Mike? Then it may be worth knowing that it's also a fineable offence to:

• Swim or dive into the canals (although the knowledge that they contain sewage should be a deterrent alone)
• Do not carry or ride a bicycle around the city
• Do not feed pigeons or seagulls
• Do not consume food or drink while sitting on the ground

Venice isn't the only place in Italy to take a stricter stance on apparel in recent years either. Earlier this year, the village of Varenna, which sits on the picturesque Lake Como, decided to impose fines of €200 (£170) for people who walk shirtless or in swimwear.

Meanwhile, the city of Sorrento, which overlooks the Bay of Naples, has had a swimwear ban in place since 2022.