Albufeira, Faro, Portugal, June 24, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal's popular Algarve tourist hotspot of Albufeira now has a new code of conduct to prevent offensive behaviour, with fines for nudity and wearing bikinis or swimsuits in public areas.
After analysing the contributions submitted during the public consultation period, the new code was approved by the Albufeira Municipal Assembly on June 6 and published on Monday in the official government gazette (Diário da República, DR), coming into force on Tuesday, the day after its publication.
According to the notice published in the DR approving the new code of conduct, this is not a code “that imposes a certain type of clothing or restricts the freedoms and guarantees of citizens”, but rather a way of preventing offensive behaviour.
The aim "is to respond to the feelings of the public who, having witnessed offensive behaviour on the part of some citizens, feel that their freedom of movement is restricted on some roads and in some public spaces in the district," the text reads.
Speaking to Lusa, the mayor, José Carlos Rolo, said that signs will be put up in the streets of Albufeira with information about the rules, which are still being finalised, admitting that there will be an awareness period before fines are imposed.
“People have to start changing their attitudes and behaving differently. Our aim is to prevent these attitudes and not act after they have happened,” he said, warning that, after being warned, if people do not respect the rules, they may be fined by the Municipal Police or the national guard GNR.
The mayor took the opportunity to appeal for the cooperation of business owners and staff working in nightlife venues to pass on the information to tourists and visitors before the fines are actually imposed.
The new code of conduct aims to preserve the district, which accounts for around half of the hotel accommodation in the Faro district, "as a multicultural, family-friendly and safe destination that values its heritage and identity".
“It is urgent to establish measures to deal effectively with offensive behaviour, particularly by those who visit the municipality of Albufeira as a tourist destination,” continues the notice published in DR.
The measures are “preventive” in nature, aimed at preventing acts which, “by their nature, may cause undesirable problems for the resident community and the image of the district as a tourist destination”, the document adds.
Fines for wearing bikinis or swimsuits outside authorised areas range from €300–€1,500, with fines also imposed for drinking alcohol, urinating or defecating in public.
Camping in unauthorised areas, spending the night on public roads or spitting carries a fine of €150–€750, according to the code.
The practice or simulation of sexual acts or walking completely naked on public roads ranges from €500–€1,800.
MAD/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
