City of Barcelona prohibits bare chests in city
 

All beach wear and bare bodies are to be confined to the beach and its promenade. Once off that area traditionally covered up chests and no bathing suit bottoms/tops walking down Las Ramblas and Plaza Cataluña anymore no matter how hot it is.

They finally passed this unanimously this morning after years of increasing scandalous attire, or lack of, mostly by tourists waltzing around the area. Many restaurants had put up signs refusing entry to bathing suit clad clients, but now it is official.

So no more walking down Las Ramblas naked, like I have just seen on a video clip on national TV news of a guy from this year !! Holy cow!

At least Fodorites have been warned. Others will have to dress on the spot or pay a fine of 180E.

good...The city is NOT a beach!

I agree! You should see the news clips on this. Now if they can get the prostitutes hidden with their quickies going on in broad daylight around dark corners.. might be able to take your kids back down there.

They have also decided that the mimes must have licenses. In order to get a license, you must prove some sort of Arts and Entertainment studies or paid participation through a company. They were interviewing a woman who has spent 25 yrs. elaborately dressed and posing on Las Ramblas.. she is now out of a job because she is self-trained. Sad day for her.

...now that's more than they have required of some of our ministers in the present government. Some never went to the university. Maybe they will eventually require higher education and specialization for the ministers running part of this country instead of just good barking abilities and "cojones on TV" . I'm confused to say the least.

A sad day for voyeurs

ha ha ha!

Darn it, now I have pack clothes for next trip to Barcelona.
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We used to live near a section of Brooklyn called Brighton Beach where there were many Russian emigres. The men, used to dress like John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever anf the women used to wear more make-up than any hooker. They embraced freedom like a teeneager but without parental consent or advice. And they wanted to enjoy their freedom.

The same was true of Spain.

After the death of Franco, there was a universal sense of freedom. I am sure Linca and others remember there were all sorts of manifestations of freedom after Franco's death including the use of Ud. and tu. Even grandmothers were called tu. Almodóvars movies had to have transvestite to show Spain had entered the 20th century and was hip as any country. For a number of years now, grandmothers are called Ud again.

Now Spain is maturing as a democracy and with it a sense of responsibility that accompanies any adult. Should mimes need licenses? Personally I do not beleive in capital punishment but if we start with mimes, I might change my mind but they should not be licensed. If they were wealthy they would not be mimes.

I am quite happy to see that the "anything goes" attitude has finally come to somewhat of a halt, starting in Barcelona. Hopefully more places will follow suit and put respect back into public areas.

Damn! How am I going to distract the pickpockets now?

Naked tourists or prostitutes or mimes at work are not my top priority when I have to or want to go down the Rambles.
Is this some sort of political busybody activity to cover up that the city is more or less incapable to fight petty crime in those touristy areas?
Or is it more convenient for the Mossos and more lucrative for the city to collect €180 from a bare-chested tourist than to chase down a gang of pickpockets?
I would say that the remarkable level of petty crime has done and does more to the image of Barcelona than the occasional fat naked belly.