You Could Be Fined Up To €750 For THIS

In summer, high temperatures see both tourists and residents alike in search of the beach, looking for shade or cooling off near the city’s fountains.

Along the promenade, it is common to come across people in swimsuits or shirtless. A practice that also extends to some streets of the city. To put an end to this practice, some municipalities in the province have modified their rules in order to penalise those who go without a shirt, writes La Opinion de Malaga, Thursday, August 3.

In 2018, Marbella introduced a law aimed at regulating all public areas within the city. Following its amendment, Article 63 of the municipal ordinance states that ‘except for municipal authorisations, it is prohibited to walk or remain on roads or public spaces with an exposed torso.’

The municipality considers torso nudism in public spaces as a minor offence, citing aesthetic and hygiene reasons for imposing such restrictions.

These are not the only sanctions included in this regulation. It is also forbidden to walk or remain on public roads in public spaces only in a bathing suit or other similar garments, except in swimming pools, beaches and their access areas, as well as promenades.

Malaga’s capital also enforces financial penalties for citizens who choose to roam the city wearing only a bathing suit. The fines for going shirtless or wearing swimwear in non-designated areas range between €300 and €750.

Other Cities

Malaga is not the only Spanish city where such prohibitions are in place. In the Valencian Community, Barcelona, and the Balearic Islands, similar laws also exist.

In Alicante the Ordinance of Civic Coexistence was implemented in February 2022, which included fines up to €750 for ‘going naked or with the torso completely exposed on public roads, except on beaches, adjacent promenades, swimming pools or other spaces where it is expressly authorized.’

In Barcelona, going shirtless in the beach area is completely prohibited. The Ordinance of Measures to Promote and Guarantee Citizen Coexistence in the Public Space of the city of Barcelona provides for fines of €120 to €300 for going shirtless or wearing a swimsuit.

The amount is increased if a person is naked or semi-naked, with penalties of €300 to €500. In Salou it is forbidden to go shirtless in the old town, the town centre and the municipal market. The fine ranges from €100 to €300.

In Palma de Mallorca, a lack of clothing is penalised throughout the city. The only exception are areas authorised by the mayor’s office, such as the beach line and promenades. Therefore, anyone walking on the streets or in public spaces wearing only a bathing suit may be fined anything  from €100 to €200.

The last city to administer similar bans has been Granada. The city council will prohibit going naked or wearing inappropriate attire at bachelor parties with penalties of up to €750.