4 days ago
Travel warning over major rules changes and fines up to $4000 in Euro hot spots
Whether it's tapas in Spain, aperitivos in Italy, or beach days in Greece — Aussies love a summer jaunt through Europe. But before you pack your swimmers and sunnies, be aware — many destinations across the continent are cracking down on rowdy tourist behaviour this year.
According to Managing Director at Australian Traveller Media, Quentin Long, Australians "really do have to be hyper-aware" of local customs and systems, despite most of Europe being incredibly tourist-friendly.
"The classic challenge here is that because we now access continental Europe with a single visa, we kind of forget that a single visa doesn't mean a single set of laws," he told Yahoo News.
"As Australians, we want to be not just aware of laws but also local customs — and increasingly, those two things are becoming the same. People are getting sick of bad tourist behaviour, and governments are responding by legislating against it.
"In places like Portugal and Spain, we're now seeing rules about things like toplessness or wearing a bikini away from the beach or pool. Those kinds of cultural sensibilities need to be top of mind for people when they're travelling."
On top of stricter local laws and rising fines, a major change to border control is coming. The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to launch in October, 2025.
Once it's live, all non-EU travellers — including Aussies — visiting the Schengen Zone will be fingerprinted and photographed on entry. The system digitally records biometric data and tracks how long a person has stayed. If tourists re-enter within three years, they can clear borders with just a face scan or fingerprint.
Australians can still visit the Schengen Area, comprising 29 European countries, for up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa, but border officials will be far less forgiving about overstays, missing passport stamps, or registration requirements. Australians have been reminded to ensure their passports are valid for at least three months after the departure date and to allow time if it needs renewing.
"The US really led the way with their entry-exit system, and now other countries are following suit," Long said. "The technology works, and they've finally sorted it out. It's a complex thing to manage with so many borders and entry points across the continent, but they've taken the steps now."
As of April, Aussies visiting the UK are now required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel. The fee for the ETA is approximately A$30, and it is valid for multiple entries over two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
Below is a breakdown of what laws are in place across Europe's most visited destinations — and where you could be slapped with hefty fines (in Australian dollars) for seemingly minor slip-ups.
Italy is known for its carefree lifestyle, but it's recently been clamping down hard on careless tourists. Going topless off the beach in Sorrento could cost you $800. In Rome, sitting on the Spanish Steps will set you back up to $600, and stepping into a fountain could result in an $800 fine. Heading to Cinque Terre? Hiking in thongs could land you a whopping $4,000 fine. Day visitors in Venice will now be forced to pay an $8 access fee from 8.30am to 4pm.
France's penalties are as refined as its fashion sense. If you're caught with oversized luggage on a train, you could be fined around $80. Climbing on a monument could cost you big bucks, and, incredibly, being seen naked in your hotel room might land you a $24,000 fine. Last week, the country also announced it was banning smoking in almost all outdoor places.
Spain's major holiday hotspots are cracking down in a big way. In Ibiza, fines range from more than $600 for wearing a bikini away from the beach to thousands for noise or vandalism. Drinking on the street will cost over $2,000, and party boats are banned.
There's also a six-drink cap per day on all-inclusive hotel deals. In Palma de Mallorca, antisocial behaviour could hit you with a fine worth more than $5,000, while walking around the city in swimwear could cost $500-plus. The Canary Islands go even further, with $5,000 fines for street drinking, for smoking on the beach, or if you bring a BBQ, umbrella or tent.
Famous for its history and beaches, Greece is also cracking down on unruly behaviour. Wearing high heels at archaeological sites could attract steep fines, as can being topless in public, smoking indoors, and pocketing pebbles from the beach.
Albufeira in southern Portugal is pushing back against "hedonistic tourism" with a suite of new penalties. Public nudity will cost you over $3,000, while sex, urinating, or even just wearing a bikini away from the water could see fines of over $2,000. In Lisbon, excessive noise in designated quiet zones could trigger a more than $3,000 fine.
In Split, public urination, nudity, or vomiting in the street could cost you big time, and taking a nap in public is also a fineable offence. In Hvar, travellers have been stung for wearing swimwear off the beach, for topless sunbathing, and for drunkenness.
It's something an Australian tourist recently warned about. "If you think you can just, like, scoot on through town with a little bikini top, I wouldn't recommend it... Don't do it, you've been warned," she said.
A reminder to always follow flight crew instructions — in Turkey, standing up before the plane has fully stopped could attract a fine.
Amsterdam's tourism crackdown has mostly targeted British bucks' parties, but Australians aren't exempt. Fines include $140 for littering, urination, drunkenness or rowdy behaviour, and even more for group debauchery.
As of April, Australians now need a visa to visit Brazil, with a processing fee of approximately US$80.90. A tourist tax and visa is now in place in Bali, with travellers able to pay them online or upon arrival at the airport.
Under a temporary trial program, Australians can now enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, and other purposes. This arrangement runs until the end of 2025.
Australians can visit South Korea without a Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) until 31 December 2025, allowing visa-free stays of up to 90 days.
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