The largest daily German newspaper, Bild, recently attacked Italy’s new seaside restrictions, claiming Italians are ruining Germans’ vacations by banning drinking, football, and topless bathing at beaches. The complaints could start another controversy, possibly resulting in repercussions for the tourist industry in Italy. Indeed, in 2003, a censure of German vacationers by the Tourism Ministry led to the cancellation of Gerhard Schroeder’s Italian vacation.
Italian officials have pointed out that the recent bans are not law but only guidelines for proper conduct on beaches. The guidelines include: no playing football on crowded beaches, changing allowed only in cabins, no hanging swimwear on beach umbrellas, no alcohol on the beach, no glass bottles, and no walking around topless (but topless sunbathing on lounge chairs permitted).
