If you’re heading abroad for your summer holidays this year, you should be mindful of the laws in your chosen destination.
Because every country — and some cities — have their own unique set of regulations.
While many of these will be similar to what you’re used to, there are some instances where something perfectly acceptable at home — like wearing camouflage or building a sandcastle — could get you in trouble elsewhere.
And though these rules might sound far-fetched to tourists, flouting them could still earn you a slap on the wrist, a fine, or worse.
Read on to discover some of the stranger rules from around the world…
Feeding pigeons in Venice
Take a trip to Venice and you’ll notice that the iconic Italian city has no shortage of both canals and pigeons.
But getting too close to the latter could land you in trouble with the law.
While feeding the pigeons in St Mark’s Square used to be a fun activity for tourists, these days it’s more likely to land you a fine after authorities made it illegal back in 2008.
The ban was brought in to prevent the birds from pecking away at monuments and buildings in the city when trying to reach scraps of food.
The cost of cleaning up and repairing the damage was being handed down to the Venetian taxpayer, but now tourists could be fined anywhere between €25 and a whopping €500 (£21 to £420) for flouting the law.
Wearing camouflage clothing in Barbados
If you’re heading to sunny Barbados for this year’s holiday, you’ll want to leave your camouflage clothing at home.
The UK Government website explains that it is ‘illegal for anyone, including children, to wear camouflage clothing’ on the Caribbean island.
Why? Because the print is reserved strictly for those who are in the military.
The penalty for flouting the law is a $2,000 (around £767) fine, or a one-year imprisonment, or both.
And it’s not just Barbados where this law is imposed — wearing camo is also outlawed in other parts of the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
This is also a big no-no in parts of the Middle East. In Oman, for example, it could get you flung in jail, as well as in parts of Africa.
Taking your foot off your bike pedals in Mexico
Heading to Mexico and planning a spot of cycling while you’re there?
Be careful how you go, because it’s illegal for cyclists to remove their feet from the pedals of their bike while riding.
The law came into force in the 19th century, following an accident between a coach and a cyclist.
It’s unclear whether you’ll actually get into trouble for doing this, but given the law is in place to keep people safe, it’s probably best for everybody if you don’t try and find out.
Hiking naked in Switzerland
With its towering mountain ranges and jewel-toned lakes, Switzerland is a great place for hikers to enjoy a holiday — as long as you keep your clothes on.
Naked hiking is a no-no in the Alpine areas, and was first outlawed in 2009 after citizens in Appenzell Inner Rhodes became fed up with encountering hikers wearing nothing but boots and socks.
Local authorities can impose fines on people hiking naked in the Alps, but it remains a grey area as there’s no law against public nudity in Switzerland (though the country does have laws against public indecency).
Therefore, fully dressed hiking is probably the most sensible way to go.
Not smiling in Milan
Off to Milan any time soon? Remember to smile if you are — it’s supposedly a criminal offence to frown in the Italian city.
The only people exempt from this strange rule are those at a funeral or hospital.
Rumour has it that the rule dates back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Apparently, authorities legislated that the people of Milan had to smile by law to combat the dissatisfaction at the foreign domination, and it has never been repealed.
Of course, the law is not actually enforced, so tourists won’t be slapped with a fine for frowning outside the Duomo di Milano.
Passing wind in public in Florida
Florida is a popular holiday destination for many folks seeking sunshine, sand and glorious weather.
But if you are heading there for your summer holiday, you might want to carefully consider what you’re having for dinner, since it’s allegedly illegal to break wind in public after 6pm.
Quite when or why this law was imposed is unclear. But it’s never really been enforced, so you don’t actually need to worry about being punished for it (as long as you’re prepared to receive some judgemental stares, that is).
Running out of petrol in Germany
If you’re planning on renting a car to zip up and down the Autobahn, make sure the tank’s full before you set off. Running out of fuel on Germany’s famous motorway system is against the law.
While in the UK running short of petrol might prompt a call to the RAC and a whole lot of waiting around, German road laws take it a bit more seriously — to the point that an empty petrol tank or an unnecessary breakdown might land you a fine.
It’s related to Germany’s law stating it’s illegal to stop or slow down unnecessarily on certain roads, and running out of fuel isn’t considered a good enough excuse.
Driving without headlights in Sweden
Speaking of driving, anyone planning a road trip around Sweden also has an extra law to bear in mind. Driving without your headlights on in the Scandinavian country is illegal — no matter what time of day it is.
This caters to Sweden’s long, dark winters, which see just a few hours of sunlight a day in the north of the country.
You’ll also need to remember to keep your headlights dipped to stop you from dazzling drivers approaching from the opposite direction.
The RAC explains that when driving in Sweden: ‘Unless your headlights can be adjusted, it’s a legal requirement to carry headlamp converters.’
Building sandcastles in Spain
Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations among British tourists, with millions heading to the Mediterranean country each year.
But, depending on where you’re heading, you might need to leave the bucket and spade at home.
Believe it or not, it’s against the law to build sandcastles on Levante beach in Benidorm, as well as beaches in Arona and Arico, in Tenerife.
The law was first introduced to the largest of the Canary Islands in 2009, as part of an effort to keep the coastline as clean and natural as possible, while in 2016 Benidorm’s Town Hall voted to ban sand structures.
While smaller sandcastles of the kind children build aren’t likely to land you in hot water, large sand structures could see you fined £130 for your efforts.
Going commando in Thailand
In Thailand, it’s illegal to be out in public without any underwear.
While the Thai police are unlikely to know if you’re walking around commando (and we couldn’t find any reports of tourists going to jail over a lack of underwear) it’s best to play it safe.
So make sure you pack enough pants for your whole trip, to avoid having to admit to your family back home why you ended up in trouble with the law.
Chewing gum in Singapore
Singapore banned the sale and importation of chewing gum in 1992, in order to stop people from sticking it in public places such as on the pavement and subway train doors.
In 2004, the ban was loosened slightly for ‘therapeutic’ chewing gum, which includes dental and nicotine gum.
But while you won’t get in trouble for accidentally smuggling a couple of packs into the country, you’ll face a fine for spitting it out and leaving it as litter.
Penalties for littering in Singapore include fines of as much as $2,000 for a first offence (roughly £1,164).
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