British tourists can pay extraordinary fines for making too much noise on the beach in Portugal
British tourists are warned they could face extraordinary fines if they make too much noise on the beach under new rules in Portugal
- The Portuguese Maritime Authority has banned playing music too loudly
- Groups can face fines of more than £30,000 if they upset other sunbathers
British tourists have been warned they could face extraordinary fines if they make too much noise on the beach under new rules in Portugal.
Playing loud music through portable speakers at a volume that upsets other sunbathers is prohibited by the Portuguese National Maritime Authority (ANM).
Fines for lone beachgoers start at just over £170 (200 euros), but the most serious offenses can be punished with fines of £3,440 (4,000 euros) for those who are repeat offenders or have ignored previous warnings.
For groups, the fines can be as high as 30,953 pounds (36,000 euros).
Local and other tourists who are affected by loud noise from portable speakers are urged to contact the local Maritime Police in charge of the beach where the violation occurs.
British tourists have been warned they could face extraordinary fines if they make too much noise on the beach under new rules in Portugal (file image)
The ANM confirmed this week: “Portable loudspeakers are prohibited on beaches at a volume that may disturb other sunbathers.”
A spokesman added: “We have seen this problem increase in recent years and we are increasing our vigilance to combat it.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how officials would determine what music level would be loud enough to decide when fines could be imposed and whether police would be given the power to seize equipment when repeat offenders refuse to turn the volume down.
Confirmation of the ban has emerged as peak tourist season is about to begin in areas such as the Algarve, which traditionally welcomes more than a million British travelers a year.
More than 2.5 million Britons choose Portugal as a holiday destination.
Last year, Portugal made itself more attractive to British visitors by announcing it would lift Brexit restrictions and treat British visitors on the same terms as those from the European Union.
Under the new rules, travelers from the United Kingdom were no longer treated as third-country nationals, as required under Brexit.
Confirmation of the ban has emerged as peak tourist season is about to begin in areas such as the Algarve (pictured)