Tourists could soon be fined more than $1,000 for urinating in or near the ocean in Vigo, a seaside city in Galicia. It remains unclear how the rule would be enforced.
Vigo, a seaside town in Spain’s northwest, is apparently going to make peeing in the sea a fineable offence. According to reports, the city council is going to be installing more public amenities during summer to reduce holidaymakers’ need to wee in the sea (a naughty but widespread activity which, according to YouGov, almost half of Britons’ have previously done). But if you don’t use them, and instead prefer to pee in the ocean, you could find yourself in some hot water…
Tourists caught urinating on the beach or in the sea at Spanish town of Vigo will face a £645 fine.
— YouGov (@YouGov) June 21, 2022
Potential bad news for the 48% of Britons who have ever weed in the sea, although how they’d get caught is anyone’s guess…https://t.co/AXWZpEgXzD pic.twitter.com/QX1uy3g4Pe
The Sun reports that the new ban applies to urinating “in the sea or on the beach.” The offence is to be punishable with a 750 euro ($1,135 AUD) fine. It remains to be seen how authorities would know when tourists or travellers relieve themselves while swimming (spy dolphins?), but that’s a debate for another day.
Per Metro, it’s also prohibited to use soap or shampoo in the sea, or to wash cooking utensils in the water. On some beaches smoking is illegal, too with the local council hoping to reduce butts (no, not that kind) littering the beach.
RELATED: Morning Coffee Mistake Costs Tourists $1,500 In Venice
The Sun also reports that “anyone walking to or from the beach on public streets in just their swimwear across Spain could be handed a £250 fine.” Anyone who has lived in Spain though will tell you this is something that is rarely if ever, enforced though (just check out all the holidaymakers Las Ramblas on a sunny day).
As for Vigo, if this news hasn’t put you off visiting, it’s a beautiful city in the province of Pontevedra, in Spain’s north west. It’s got luscious mountains, amazing seafood, pleasingly acidic white wines, 17th-century fortresses, parks, beaches and an ocean that (presumably) smells like piss…
It’s not just Spain that is cracking down on piss poor tourist behaviour. Australia is getting fed up with some of its itinerant travellers too, with a recent op-ed in a national broadsheet accusing influencers of “s***ing all over the country.”
Read Next