While almost everyone has seen social media photographs of the candy-colored homes built into the rugged cliffside of Cinque Terre, not everyone knows exactly where it is located.
The coastal area and five small fishing villages within the northwestern Italian region of Ligurgia are a 30-minute train ride from the port city of La Spezia.
The main water entryway to the Italian Riviera, La Spezia is a port stop on multiple itineraries on cruise lines such as Norwegian, Princess Viking, Royal Caribbean, and MSC, among others.
Given Cinque Terre’s fame for its breathtaking beauty, many tourists descending at La Spezia for the day end up using their time in port to come out to the fishing villages.
Trip to Cinque Terre? Remember the flip flop ban that could lead to slips and fines
And as with any places that see large numbers of cruise ship traffic, Cinque Terre sees all kinds of tourist behavior that damages nature and strains local resources.
Amid a spike in tourists falling while walking cliff trails in improper footwear, Cinque Terre National Park first launched a public awareness campaign reminding travelers not to wear flip flops or other open-toed shoes in 2019, CNN reported.
Fines followed soon after, and as of June 2026, any tourist caught by local authorities on the cliff trails in flip flops can be hit by a fine ranging from €50 to €2,500 for repeat offenders and those who damage the local trail.
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“Open footwear and/or smooth soles, i.e. not anti-slip are forbidden,” Cinque Terre National Park states on its Frequently Asked Questions page about visiting Cinque Terre.
“The transgressors will be punished according to Pagraph 2, Article 30, Law 394/91 and SS.MM.II. On the trails it is compulsory to wear closed, waterproof and ankle covering shoes, with an anti-slip sole.”
The local law applies only to those hiking on the trails rather than wandering through the fishing towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The fines were also put in place as a safety precaution, given the rising number of travelers who had to be rescued after slipping on the cliffs.
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A few other places that launched new clothing rules that apply to tourists
Some local travel and expat groups reported that local officials periodically conduct footwear checks on the trails; news of the fines are also meant to serve as a deterrent and reminder of clothing requirements.
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Another popular tourist destination to recently crack down on the type of clothing worn by tourists is the Portuguese resort city of Albufeira. What eventually earned the nickname of the “bikini ban” can fine anyone caught in “a state of partial nudity” outside designated pool and beach areas up to €1,500 for disrupting public order.
The crackdown came amid rising tourist numbers and incidents of bad behavior, including a viral video of eight British men dancing naked in a bar on Albufeira’s party strip that caused a local outcry and put pressure on lawmakers.
As with Cinque Terre, local officials in Albufeira put out annual reminders of the rules around the time that tourist season ramps up.
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