Scroll down and read "Don't dress for the seaside."

It doesn't show a sign, but clearly tells you what Venice's by-laws have had in place since 2007.

Sorry, here's the link:

How to behave in Venice | Italy Heaven

Do you suppose the students' activities caused this, StCirq?? :?

I suspect that the young man covered in flour was part of Carnival when anything goes. Other wise this time of year no-one is likely to be walking around without a shirt as it's too bl...dy cold. I haven't seen any notices to this effect either in Venice or Bologna and as for being fined for begging, there are loads of beggars around in both cities and they show no sign of being worried about being ticketed by the cops for it. in fact I've seen far more beggars in both cities than I ever have before, even in Rome. It is perishing cold and life must be very hard for them.

In this case, he was a newly graduated Dottore, annhig. Oooh, he would be cold in the winter. Although we mostly traveled in March so it could have been pretty nippy.

I don't know what caused it, TDudette, but he may well have been too inebriated to notice the cold:)

The student in question is being roasted at his "festa di laurea", which happens after he passes the oral exam of his thesis. You could say there's a sort of artistic license. It would be quite another matter if he were walking casually along the street (un)dressed like that.

There are graphic signs in the Piazza indicating what is not allowed. Sitting, picnicking, bathing attire, dropping litter and feeding pidgeons are all prohibited. Doubtless there are others.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0081ef7b.jpeg
There are signs like this around the city (will try to attach below). And the regulations say “È proibito circolare per le vie cittadine, sostare in luoghi ed esercizi pubblici, viaggiare sui mezzi pubblici o privati in tenuta balneare o a torso nudo.”. I admit the sign looks like only bathing suits are forbidden whereas the text clearly says nude torso is forbidden, but as others said, this must be a cultural or generational thing - some of us would never think about walking around a city with a completely unbuttoned shirt showing a bare chest and abdomen whereas i can see a young guy from california not thinking twice about it.

The whole bike ban thing is a little tricky but you can pass through Venice by boat with a bike, just not through the streets, and yes that law is enforced. :-)

Thanks, bvlenci. Do you happen to know a link for the "Dottore" song?

Peer, I wasn't looking out for the signs and never saw any on this trip, though I never got anywhere near St Mark's so I wasn't exactly at "tourist central". I also saw a degree celebration very near the language school in Bologna and it was by comparison a very dignified affair, with the only change in the young woman in question's outfit being a laurel wreath worn on her head. I learnt quite a lot about Italian education on this trip including the fact that major exams include very important oral "interrogations", which is very different to what we are used to. This also occurs in ordinary classes as well, which would certainly concentrate the mind whilst you were doing your homework.