Overtourism has pushed some of the world’s most beloved destinations to the breaking point, and local governments are fighting back with real consequences for visitors who don’t play by the rules. What used to be a polite request from a hotel concierge has, in many cities, turned into an actual fine, a police citation, or even a same-day flight home. The tricky part is that plenty of these rules aren’t obvious to first-time visitors, and some habits that feel completely normal at home can land you in serious trouble abroad.
From sitting on the wrong staircase to carrying the wrong gadget in your carry-on, these are eight travel habits that are increasingly likely to get you fined, detained, or banned outright in 2026. Knowing them before you pack your bags could save you hundreds of dollars and a ruined vacation.
1. Sitting Down to Eat on Venice’s Steps and Bridges
Venice has turned “please don’t sit here” into an enforceable law. The city prohibits sitting, lying down, eating, or drinking on designated steps, bridges, monument bases, quays, and walkways in crowded areas. The rule exists because Venice has a population of 50,000 but receives more than 30 million tourists per year, and simply moving through the narrow calli becomes nearly impossible when every step and bridge is occupied by picnicking travelers.
Break this rule and you’re looking at real money. Eating or drinking while sitting on stairs, bridges, or monuments carries a fine ranging from 100 to 200 euros, and the penalties climb from there. Swimming or bathing in the canals brings a 350 euro fine, while walking around in only swimwear can cost 250 euros. Municipal police patrol hotspots like St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge specifically looking for this kind of behavior, so that quick lunch break on a scenic staircase isn’t worth the risk.
2. Ignoring Temple Dress Codes and Sacred Site Rules in Bali
Bali tightened its rules for foreign visitors substantially over the past year, and temple etiquette sits at the center of the crackdown. Under the new guidelines, foreign tourists are expected to observe and honor Balinese customs, traditions, and cultural practices, especially during ceremonies, and to dress appropriately when visiting temples, tourist attractions, or public spaces. That means shoulders and knees covered, sarongs on, and no treating a sacred inner sanctum like a photo backdrop.
The rules go further than clothing. Foreign visitors are not permitted to enter sacred temple areas unless they are worshippers wearing traditional Balinese attire, and menstruating women are also prohibited from entering these areas. Climbing on temple walls, statues, or sacred trees is banned as well, and violators face steep consequences ranging from fines to deportation. Local authorities have even set up a dedicated hotline so residents can report tourists who disrespect these sites.
3. Vaping or Carrying E-Cigarettes in Thailand
Thailand’s ban on e-cigarettes has existed for years, but enforcement reached a new level in 2025 and has stayed there. Tourists are not treated differently from locals under this law, and many travelers have been fined at airports, on beaches, or in shopping malls. It doesn’t matter whether the device contains nicotine or not, and simply carrying one in your luggage, even unused, is enough to get you in trouble.
The financial hit can be substantial. The most common penalty is a heavy fine that can reach up to five times the value of the device, with many cases landing between 20,000 and 30,000 Thai baht, roughly 500 to 700 British pounds. During one crackdown week alone, police arrested 690 people in 666 vape-related cases and seized nearly 455,000 vaping products valued at over 41 million baht. In more serious cases involving importation, penalties can escalate to years in prison, so it’s genuinely safer to leave the device at home entirely.
4. Lingering Too Long for a Selfie in Portofino’s “Red Zones”
The tiny Italian Riviera village of Portofino has essentially outlawed standing still in its most photogenic corners. The red zones were designed to avoid thronging and overcrowding in restricted areas where tourists pause for a selfie and end up jostling with organized tour groups and cruise passengers. You’re technically still allowed to take photos, just not to stop, pose, or set up a tripod in these designated spots between roughly mid-morning and early evening.
The math behind the rule is simple. Portofino has a population of under 400 people, yet daily visitor numbers sometimes surpass 10,000, which turns its narrow harbor-front streets into gridlock every summer. Anyone caught lingering too long in a marked zone faces a fine of 270 euros, around 300 dollars, and the rule is enforced most heavily from spring through mid-October when the crowds peak.
5. Wheeling Noisy Suitcases Through Dubrovnik’s Old Town
Dubrovnik’s cobblestone Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has become ground zero for one of Europe’s more unusual tourist crackdowns. As part of a wider push against noise pollution, tourists are now expected to carry their suitcases instead of wheeling them around, or face a fine of around 265 euros. The clatter of hard-shell wheels on centuries-old stone has become a genuine quality-of-life issue for residents trying to sleep above the shops and restaurants below.
This isn’t an isolated measure either. The city is also cracking down on cafés, restaurants, and bars, with businesses facing fines and even the seizure of their outdoor terraces for repeated noise violations. Combined with earlier rules banning shirtless walking and swimwear in the historic center, Dubrovnik’s message is clear: the Old Town isn’t a beach resort, and locals expect visitors to act accordingly.
6. Flying a Drone Without a Permit Over Protected Landmarks
Drone tourism has exploded, and so have the restrictions around it. Many popular destinations, including national parks, historic city centers, and religious sites, now require a permit before you can legally launch a drone, and quite a few ban them outright over crowded landmarks or protected nature reserves. Countries across Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America have folded drones into their broader aviation safety and privacy laws, meaning a casual hobbyist flying without registration can be treated the same as someone violating restricted airspace.
The consequences vary depending on where you are, but confiscation of the equipment is common, and fines can be substantial in destinations that treat unauthorized drone flights as a security matter rather than a minor infraction. Some countries also require advance registration or import permits just to bring a drone through customs, so travelers sometimes get flagged before they’ve even had the chance to fly it. If a destination is known for cliffside views, ancient ruins, or protected wildlife, it’s worth checking local drone law before packing one in your bag.
7. Public Drinking and Street Partying in Spain’s Party Hotspots
Spain’s most famous party destinations have spent the past several years reining in the boozy reputation that once defined them. Places like Magaluf, Playa de Palma, and parts of Ibiza have introduced rules restricting all-inclusive alcohol promotions, banning organized pub crawls in certain zones, and cracking down on street drinking outside licensed venues. These measures target both tourists and the businesses that market cheap, unlimited alcohol packages to them.
Local police in these areas have grown far less tolerant of rowdy behavior, and fines for public intoxication, urinating in public, or balcony-related stunts have become routine rather than exceptional. Some municipalities have also restricted the hours during which alcohol can be sold near beaches and central squares. Travelers heading to these regions for a big night out should expect a noticeably stricter atmosphere than the free-for-all reputation these towns once had.
