Latest news with #Tropea
Forbes
31-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Tourists, Beware: Europe Cracks Down With Bans, Fines And Restrictions For 2025
A packed beach in Tropea, Calabria. As tourism surges, popular European destinations like Italy are introducing new rules, laws, bans and fines to control the crowds. Heading to Europe this summer? Think twice before lighting a cigarette on the beach or strolling shirtless down a boardwalk. With visitor numbers predicted to surge to record levels in 2025, many destinations are cracking down. Europe travel rules—and the list of things that can get you in trouble—are growing, with new bans, fines and restrictions that could cost you hundreds (if not thousands) of euros. Some of the new rules are dramatic—like banning music on beaches, outlawing drinking in certain public areas and limiting selfies in overtouristed villages. Some countries can even fine you for wearing flip-flops while driving (even though it's not technically illegal). It's all part of a growing movement to combat overtourism at a moment when tensions are boiling over. In April and May, anti-tourism protests broke out across Spain, from Madrid to Mallorca to the Canary Islands. And on June 15, activist groups will be staging massive protests across several countries, with marches, picketing at airports, tour bus blockades and more expected. So before you head off on that dream European getaway, be sure to research the rules for wherever you're going. Here's a small sampling of what you need to know, from new rules and fines to surprising ones that have quietly been on the books for years. Tourists crowd La Rambla in Barcelona. Spain has introduced strict new rules this summer, from smoking bans on beaches to fines for walking around in swimwear. Spain is leading the charge when it comes to regulating tourist behavior—and this summer, the rules are stricter than ever, especially when it comes to beaches. Dozens of coastal towns—including spots in Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and on the Costa del Sol—have banned smoking on beaches, with fines up to €2,000 (about $2,260, based on the conversion on the date of publication). In some regions, you can be fined up to €250 (about $283) for reserving a sunbed and then disappearing for hours. Public urination—yes, even peeing in the sea—is a punishable offense in places like Marbella and Vigo, with fines up to €750 (about $848). And be careful what you wear: Cities such as Malaga have imposed fines for walking around in swimwear when you're not at the beach, while Barcelona enforces penalties for wearing bikinis in public areas. The rules don't stop once you leave the beach. Spanish authorities are targeting tourists behind the wheel. Driving in flip-flops isn't explicitly illegal, but police can fine you up to €200 (about $226) if they decide your footwear is unsafe. And be careful about getting your party on: In hotspots like Mallorca, Ibiza and the Canary Islands, authorities are clamping down on rowdy tourism with a host of strict new measures. Pub crawls and party boats are banned in notorious nightlife hubs, while public drunkenness can result in fines up to €3,000 (about $3,390). Tourists gather at the Trevi Fountain in Rome at sunset. With overtourism on the rise, Italy is cracking down with entrance fees, dress codes and steep fines for unruly behavior. Italy's most iconic destinations are stepping up enforcement as overtourism continues to put a strain on popular sites. Nowhere is this more evident than Venice, which began charging day trippers a fee to enter the city, ranging from €5 (about $5.65) if booked in advance to €10 (about $11.30) for last-minute arrivals. (Visitors with hotel reservations are exempt.) Tourists caught without proof of paying the fee can be fined up to €300 (about $339). The city has also banned loudspeakers, large tour groups and swimming in its iconic canals, which could get you a fine of €1,000 (about $1,130). Other Italian towns are also cracking down on bad tourism behavior. In certain no-waiting zones in Portofino, you can get fined up to €275 (about $300) for taking a selfie and holding up pedestrian flow. In Lake Garda, police have fined tourists up to €700 (about $763) for jumping off cliffs and swimming in dangerous areas and even a rowdy game of football could cost you €600 (about $654). Dress codes are another hot topic: In Sorrento, walking around in swimwear beyond the beach or pool areas carries a fine of up to €500 (about $545). And hotspots are limiting visitors: Pompeii is limiting visitors to 20,000 a day in 2025. In Rome, there's a limit of 3,000 visitors at any one time at the Colosseum, and scam artists selling tickets are being fined (be careful who you buy from). A picnic along the Seine in Paris may look idyllic—but drinking alcohol in many public areas is banned. In France, authorities are increasingly asking visitors to show a little more respect. Take Paris. While having a picnic of wine and cheese in a park or along the Seine might seem très romantique, drinking alcohol is banned in many public areas, so research the rules. If you're caught, fines can reach €135 (about $153). In France, the fashion police is a real thing. Several towns along the Côte d'Azur have banned overly revealing swimwear away from the beach, including Cannes, where walking around shirtless or in a bikini can result in a fine of up to €38 (about $43). Sunset crowds in Kastro, Oia. With visitor numbers surging, Greece is capping cruise ship arrivals and introducing new tourist fees to help ease overtourism on islands like Santorini. Greece is getting serious about protecting its cultural landmarks and natural beauty. Starting this summer, cruise passengers disembarking at Santorini or Mykonos between June and September will face a €20 (about $23) per-person fee. The islands are also limiting cruise arrivals—Santorini now caps daily cruise visitors at 8,000 to ease overtourism. Greece has also implemented beach preservation rules, requiring 70% of public beaches to remain free of sunbeds. Drones are used to monitor compliance. And forget about bringing home a souvenir from nature: In many areas of the country, collecting seashells or pebbles from beaches is illegal, with fines up to €1,000 (about $1,130). There are land-based rules, too. Wearing high heels at archaeological sites is prohibited, with fines of up to €900 (about $1,017) to prevent damage to fragile ancient surfaces. The Acropolis now has a cap of 20,000 visitors per day, with timed-entry tickets to reduce crowding. Tourists crowd Dubrovnik's Old Town, a UNESCO site long impacted by overtourism. Croatia has introduced cruise ship caps, cut taxi numbers and imposed fines to help restore calm. Croatia is cracking down on unruly behavior and crowd control, especially in its most popular summer hot spots. In Split, walking around the historic city center in swimwear—or worse, underwear—is strictly forbidden, with fines up to €150 (about $170). The rules are even tougher in nearby Hvar: There are new quiet hours, and visitors can be fined €600 (about $678) on the spot for drinking in public Meanwhile, the mayor of Dubrovnik—one of the most overtouristed locations in Europe–is pushing back in a big way. Only two cruise ships are allowed to dock in the city per day, souvenir stands have been shut down, cafe chairs have been reduced, taxi service has been curtailed and more. The goal? A calmer, more livable city—for locals and tourists alike. A busy beach day in Albufeira, Portugal. As tourist numbers soar, coastal towns like this are enforcing stricter rules—banning public drinking, limiting noise and imposing fines for walking around in swimwear. Portugal is cracking down on unruly behavior, especially in coastal hotspots like Albufeira, where tourists can be fined a staggering €1,500 (about $1,695) for walking around town in swimwear—and even higher penalties for public nudity. The rules also target street drinking, urination and spitting. Noise is also under fire in Portugal: High-volume speakers are now banned on many beaches, with fines up to an eye-watering €36,000 (about $40,680). Some areas are shortening bar hours to curb late-night chaos. And in Sintra, protests by locals have officials considering limits on hotel development to preserve the town's historic charm. A crowded scene on the IJ River in Amsterdam. As overtourism spikes, the Netherlands is introducing stricter rules for boat parties, group tours and cannabis use to protect the city's quality of life. Amsterdam is cracking down on tourism in a big way. The city's 'Stay Away' campaign targets partygoers with ads warning them not to come. Smoking cannabis on the street in the Red Light District is now banned, bars close earlier, and group tours face stricter limits. Boat parties have new rules around noise and alcohol. New hotel development is being banned. Locals are even suing TikTok famous shops that are attracting overtourism. The message is clear: respect the city—or stay home. Tourists crowd the lakeside streets of Hallstatt, Austria—a fairytale village grappling with overtourism. The town temporarily installed a 'selfie fence' to reduce congestion at popular viewpoints. Austria is cracking down on overtourism with rules that target both selfies and short-term rentals. In the mountain town of Hallstatt—said to have inspired Disney's Frozen—a temporary 'anti-selfie' fence was installed to block crowds from overwhelming the town's famous lake views. And here's a lesser-known rule: Leave that dashcam at home. They are largely banned in Austria due to privacy laws, and using one can lead to fines as high as €25,000 (about $28,250). Rave the Planet, Berlin's famous techno parade, draws massive crowds each summer. But with noise complaints on the rise, authorities are enforcing stricter rules to curb rowdy tourist behavior. In Germany, bad behavior behind the wheel can cost you—literally. Shouting insults or making rude gestures while driving (even at other drivers or the police) is considered 'road rage' and can result in fines up to €4,000 (about $4,520). The country has also cracked down on rowdy tourist behavior in cities like Berlin, where noise ordinances and public drinking bans are increasingly enforced in neighborhoods fed up with party tourism. And be careful about jaywalking: It's illegal. Crowds of tourists cross Prague's iconic Charles Bridge. As visitor numbers surge, the city is cracking down on pub crawls, beer bikes, and late-night partying to preserve its historic core. Prague is trying to shed its party capital image. The city has banned beer bikes, limited noise in historic areas and cracked down on public drinking, pub crawls and rowdy bachelor and bachelorette parties. Bars even face fines if they serve already-intoxicated tourists. A coastal road in Cyprus overlooking the sea. Local authorities are enforcing little-known driving rules—like banning eating or drinking (even water) behind the wheel—with fines for violations. Thinking of sipping a bottle of water while driving in Cyprus? Don't. Eating or drinking anything behind the wheel—including water—is against the law and could get you fined €85 (about $96). It's considered a distraction, and local police enforce it. Off-road driving is banned in Iceland to protect its fragile environment. Violators face steep fines. Iceland has had enough of tourists trampling its fragile landscapes. Off-road driving is strictly banned and can result in fines up to ISK 500,000 (about $3,600). Disrespect the rules, and you'll pay—literally and environmentally. Switzerland's picture-perfect landscapes come with strict protections. Littering and noise violations can result in on-the-spot fines to help preserve the peace. Switzerland is picture-perfect, and there's a reason why. The country has strict rules to preserve its pristine environment. Littering can result in on-the-spot fines, and being too loud late at night or leaving behind trash in public areas can earn you hefty penalties. In Zermatt, the town is car-free, and gasoline vehicles are prohibited to reduce pollution; electric taxis are the norm. And remember: Wherever you're headed, make sure you're up to speed on the latest Europe travel rules—or risk paying the price.
Telegraph
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
William Sitwell reviews Tropea, Birmingham: ‘A fun Italian, jollied along by friendly staff'
The soundtrack of Tropea is 1980s. Which would be great if I was doing an edit of the music of my teens as it would mean the absence of atrocities such as Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance with Somebody. But I was diner, not DJ, so that musical aberration was chuntering out as we pondered the menu and I had to relive the trauma of being shoved on to a dance floor when I didn't want to dance with anybody and especially not to that song. Such was the start of dinner in this Italian place in the Harborne district of Birmingham, whose name is that of a town set into the dramatic cliffs of Calabria. The décor instead harks to the semi-industrial: open ceiling, metal beams. And then softer woods and muted colours with art propped up on shelves – graphic works, a few old ads for Italian airlines and the like. The lighting was set at 'Sitwell'; the perfect ambient point, giving warmth and yet enough glow to see the menu, food and one's companion. There's a bar right at the entrance, my kind of entreaty, and it's a place jollied along by extremely friendly staff. The menu is a traditional Italian mix of antipasti, pasta, meat, fish and veg, though a modernised, pared-down version with the staff encouraging the sharing of dishes. We started with burrata, a dish centred on that soft and creamy singular roundel of cheese, which came on rocket leaves with slices of blood orange. That worked well but they'd also lobbed on candied walnuts as well as a large, circular drizzle of basil oil and lots of flecks of Maldon salt. I understand the thinking – the tangy orange and peppery leaves tempering the burrata, both balanced by sugary nuts, whose sweet crunch is calmed by the oil then piqued by salt – but it suggested the chef was like a conjurer who can't figure out when to end the trick. And I say we started with the burrata, but only just. There was an assault from the kitchen: sea bream crudo, beef carpaccio, venison ragù and prawn linguine all arriving like the metaphorical bus, some sort of gag from the guy at the depot shouting, 'Go, go, go!', causing a pile-up further down the route. 'Whoah!' I exclaimed to a waitress. Although I said it in English, not horse. And things calmed. And mercifully the rocket that was on far too many dishes stopped coming as well. The sea bream was soft and lovely with a nice acidic crunch from tiny cubes of apple. And the pastas were decent, proper al dente tagliatelle with the venison ragù, likewise the linguine, though the 'wild red prawns', which presumably lent the starter size its £14 price tag, were without any remarkable discernment of high-quality prawniness. There was a splendid dish of octopus, lying charred and lush and tasty on a bed laden with goodies: smooth cauliflower, slices of olive, capers, onions, drizzles of salsa verde. But lamb livers were a let-down, too much grey, not enough pink. We had broccoli too, which showed they had my memo on the lighting but not this dish, showered as it was with – nay cowering under – a pile of almonds. Ordering the dessert of dark chocolate sorbet was really my own foolishness, but I just wanted to see if it's actually possible to have such a thing: rich and dark and not watery. Alas, this version showed me it's still not. Tropea is cheerful, upbeat fun and, I suspect, on its best days, a prized asset to the neighbourhood.
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Birmingham restaurants recognised with Michelin awards
Two restaurants in Birmingham have been recognised by the Michelin Guide. Riverine Rabbit in Stirchley and Tropea in Harborne were both recipients of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, which is awarded to venues offering good value and good quality guide praised Riverine Rabbit for providing food that was "a vibrant joy to eat" and credited the restaurant's dining experience as "a guaranteed fun night out".Tropeca was recognised as "celebration of classical Italian cooking", where the "kitchen's generosity" means diners leave with full stomachs after "relaxed, welcoming service". Tropea was also celebrated by the guide for its Italian wine list, which was said to be "great value"."Its simple, ingredient-led dishes and high-quality homemade pastas, can all be enjoyed in a buzzing environment", it restaurant and bar is co-owned by Ben Robinson Young and Kasia Piatkowska, who said the award means "so much" to them. "It represents what we hoped Tropea would become: a restaurant that serves great food, that's good value, cooked with care and served with love", they said. Riverine Rabbit, which is owned by Erin and Ash Valenzuela-Heeger and specialises in small plates with south-east Asian flavours, was described as a "terrific counter restaurant". Co-owner and chef, Ash said: "We're chuffed to bits, it means a lot to us because we have worked so hard over the last couple of years."Our restaurant is quite unique, it's one big chef's table, I cook right in front of you, I'm handing you the plates and telling you all about the ingredients."Erin Valenzuela-Heeger said working alongside her wife is a great way to spend time together. "It's incredible getting to work with Ash and delivering incredibly high-standard food, watching the person you love doing what they love, is also an incredible thing to witness day in day out."We get on so well and I think it shows to anyone who comes to the restaurant, most people comment on it, especially those who come with their other half." 'Exciting young talent' Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, who is originally from South Africa, has also been recognised with the Michelin Young Chef Michelin inspectors said Ms Valenzuela-Heeger was an example of "exciting young talent" and her cooking had "generated a buzz in Brummie circles". "We always say we strive to be 1% better everyday, so I have no doubt this time next year we will be even better than we are now", Ms Valenzuela-Heeger added. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Guardian
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Tropea, Harborne, Birmingham: ‘A forward-thinking take on the Italian trattoria' – restaurant review
No one could ever mistake south-west Birmingham for the Calabrian coast. In any Venn diagram denoting the commonality between the two, there would be very little in that overlapping section in the middle. Or, more precisely, there would perhaps be just the one word: Tropea. This restaurant in Harborne, named after a sunkissed Italian resort, has made a quiet name for itself over the past few years with its Salizà amaretto sours and provolone arancini to savour at sunset on a charming terrace. Yes, this particular sun terrace may overlook the traffic on the Lordswood Road, but hopefully some of the edges will be blurred after a round of bombardinos. In his memoir, Richard E Grant writes about the human need to find 'a pocketful of happiness' in every single day – a phrase that came to mind on entering Tropea late last month. Suddenly, I was out of all the coldness and gloom, and in a roomful of diners defiantly enjoying themselves with gossip, venison ragu tagliatelle and blackberry daiquiris. 'We'll stay for just a couple of plates,' I told Charles, hedging our collective bets. Tropea is not one of those high-street Italian restaurants with red velour chairs, spag bol and breaded mushrooms on the à la carte and a framed portrait of Roberto Baggio in the loo. But then, neither is it one of those 'fancy Italians', where you get a squirrel's portion of tagliolini in a pale sauce, in a pale room, while listening to Sade covers played on panpipes. Instead, Tropea is a forward-thinking take on the Italian trattoria. Chef Kasia Piątkowska trained at University College Birmingham alongside her now business partner, Ben Robinson-Young, and together they have created a welcoming spot that leans heavily on arty, modern Birmingham, complete with a sleek, navy-blue frontage and, inside, bronzes, warm, sunset oranges and flattering soft lighting. Cool, but not overly cool. This is a restaurant where adventurous mums and dads can treat their student kids to a big £20 plate of gnocchi with gorgonzola dolce and confit red onion, or where mixed groups can catch up semi-noisily over grilled octopus and house red; there's aubergine parmigiana, too, and tiramisu for dessert if you want something more recognisably 'Britaly'. But Tropea is not in the least painfully 'big fish small pond' cool. The staff are absurdly friendly, which helped turn our original order of some very good, crunchy cauliflower house pickles, an arancino and a small portion of tagliolini into a full-blown, three-hour lunch. Our plans changed swiftly after the large butternut squash and sage arancino appeared: it was a golden vision, laden with grated provolone and fixed to its spot by a puddle of cheesy butternut sauce. Crunchy, well seasoned, exquisite. A portion of rather thickly cut salt-aged beef carpaccio probably did not need the thick, mayo-style sauce ribboned across it, but it was devoured all the same. We were back on firmer footing with the house-made pasta. Tropea does not go wild in its choice of pasta – there were only four on offer, and two of those were gnocchi and fregola – but quality, not quantity, is what's important here. The fresh, al dente tagliolini with local black winter truffle was a delight, and came in a meaningful parmesan sauce. Soft, hand-rolled pillows of gnocchi in gorgonzola avoided being one-note by the addition of sweet red onions and a scattering of hazelnuts. Piątkowska and her team run a very good kitchen with a delightful menu, and Harborne is very lucky to have them. From the pasta, we trundled on, admittedly with a few gaps in service, to a whole roast partridge, out of its pear tree and in a red-wine sauce, served on parmesan polenta with buttery chanterelles. The hero dish of lunch, however, was three bronzed, slightly caramelised slabs of delica pumpkin with whipped ricotta, which was exactly how pumpkin ought to be celebrated. It felt wrong to send any of it back to the kitchen, so I took the last piece home in a box and chopped it over salad for an evening snack. The overall mood that lunchtime was a little sedate, but I'm told more cocktails are drunk and the disco music is turned up of an evening. If that isn't your thing, try lunch – and do try the tiramisu while you're about it, too, because it is a wonderful, generous, boozy lump, and easily enough for two. And please do not be a fool and skimp on the homemade cannoli. Oh, I know what those are, you'll think – they're so often a disappointment. But here they are whopping great, crisp, deep-fried tubes stuffed with cream, salted caramel and chocolate sauce, and they are obscenely decadent. Yes, people might say Birmingham lacks a little by way of la dolce vita, but over in Harborne there's a place where the imaginary sun shines just that bit brighter. Tropea 27-33 Lordswood Road, Harborne, Birmingham B17, 0121-427 9777. Open lunch Fri & Sat, noon-3pm; dinner Tues-Sat, 5-11pm (11.30pm Fri & Sat). From about £40 a head à la carte, plus drinks and service
