Albufeira, Portugal, Feb. 13, 2025 - Albufeira Municipality's Code of Behaviour is in public consultation as of Thursday, providing fines for nudity and for walking around in bikinis or swimsuits in public areas.
The by-law imposes administrative offences for those who "remain or circulate in a state of complete nudity" or "circulate or remain with exposed sexual organs" in public areas or on public transport to maintain tranquillity, safety and public hygiene.
"There is an urgent need to establish measures to deal effectively with the adoption of abusive behaviour, particularly by those seeking the municipality of Albufeira as a tourist destination," the municipality said in the notice published in Diário da República, stressing that it wants to "prevent acts that, by their nature, may cause undesirable damage to the resident population and the image of the municipality as a tourist destination."
The draft Code of Behaviour for the Municipality of Albufeira was approved by the City Council on 27 January. After incorporating the contributions from the public consultation, it will be submitted to the Municipal Assembly for approval.
The document also establishes a ban on "remaining or circulating in a state of partial nudity" and exposure in public areas with "swimwear - bikinis, swimsuits and the like, shorts and underwear", except on beaches, bathing areas and access points, such as car parks, or in outdoor spaces for collective use in hotels.
It is also forbidden to "practice or simulate any type of sexual act, individually or otherwise", consume alcoholic beverages, stay overnight, defecate, urinate, spit, camp or set up any campsite, cook any food, as well as practise sports, recreation, culture, leisure or art outside of specially designated places," the Code added.
Administrative offences for wearing a bikini or swimsuit outside authorised areas range from €300 to €1,500. Anyone having sex or walking undressed on the public highway is subject to an administrative offence of between €500 and €1,800.
Fines between €150 and €750 are also planned for anyone camping or engaging in sporting activities in unauthorised areas.
The municipality's Code of Behaviour also prohibits noise, both individual and group, in residential areas, the "use of street furniture in such a way as to make it impossible or difficult to use", the use of municipal property for purposes that are not intended, damaging it, and abandoning supermarket trolleys on the public highway.
Vandalising lighting structures and public furniture are also punishable by fines under the Code.
"The power to initiate administrative offence proceedings, as well as to impose fines, lies with the mayor of Albufeira, who may delegate it under the terms of the law," the notice states.
Punitive measures may also include the "revocation of the licence to occupy public space", the "removal of the open terrace" and the "reduction of opening hours".
According to the code, offences by economic agents range from €250 to €4,000.
The notice was published in the Diário da República on Wednesday, and the public consultation will last for 30 days from the day after its publication.
MHC/ADB // ADB.
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