13 Things You Should NEVER Do in Europe (Some May Even Get You Deported)

The quaint UNESCO-listed village of Hallstadt, Austria, is popular with selfie-takers because it is thought to have been the inspiration for a setting in the animated film Frozen, as well as being a picturesque screensaver popular in South Korea. The village is overrun with thousands of visitors daily, outnumbering the population by around 1,800 to one. Ugly barriers were erected to obscure the most iconic views, but they seemed to only work partially. Currently, the mayor is limiting the number of cars and coaches allowed into the community to curb view seekers.

There is no doubt that Portofino is one of the most picturesque Italian villages around, and that invites visitors to linger and pose for endless selfies. Those posing tourists tend to disregard the fact that there are streets with traffic and pavements with other people, resulting in the town’s mayor becoming so frustrated with the constant obstructions that no-stopping zones have been introduced in summer. People lingering too long by the harbor at night and those who take too long to take a picture anywhere in town will be fined.

It is generally forbidden to steal sand from Europe’s beaches, but Pelosa Beach on the island of Sardinia’s coast is taking it a little further by fining people some €3,500 (roughly $3,750) for taking sand. The town has also capped visitor numbers, closed its famous pink sand beach completely, and banned towels on the beach. Instead, beachgoers are supposed to bring mats to lie on, as these trap less sand.

You know when you’re relaxing on a beach but you can’t hear the lapping of the waves or the cries of the seagulls because of someone blasting music? The National Maritime Authority (AMN) of Portugal got so fed up with people playing DJ on the beach that they have announced fines of €36,000 ($38,600) to those who bring music equipment and play it too loudly. There are also limits on ballgames and lighting fires on beaches.

Those iconic Spanish Steps in the heart of Rome cry out for a sit-down, maybe a picnic, certainly a picture or two. Especially in the middle of a hard day’s sightseeing in the sun. But that’s no longer allowed. A constant guard is checking that tourists do not sit for too long or damage the steps, ready to dish out anywhere from a $280 to $448 fine.

Dire warning signs, politely written in English rather than Spanish, warn potential beachgoers across the Mediterranean island of Mallorca of pollution, jellyfish, or rockfall. The language on the signs should have given it away: these were reportedly fake signs placed at the beach entrance by locals fed up with mass tourism. In trying to keep foreigners off their beaches, they echoed many other destinations that have become too popular for residents to still enjoy their own backyards.

A Belgian tourist last year was arrested for reportedly taking three stones to “decorate her aquarium.” It seems that they were taken from an archaeological site, and may well have been more than just pebbles as they were inset with historic markings. But, just in case, leave all the stones where they are and leave the sand on the beach as well. Prison in Turkey is no vacation.

Just as in Turkey, it is forbidden in Greece to take stones, pebbles, or rocks from anywhere, and those wanting to take a pebble for home décor might be facing large fines of around $1,000. Also forbidden is to wear high heels while visiting historical sites. Thought to disrupt and even destroy ancient stone floors, such as those found in antique monuments, temples, and archaeological sites, heels are very much banned.

You might have to wear flats in Greece, but in Seville, it pays to look smart, especially when visiting the famed cathedral. Underwear showing, beach clothes, and t-shirts with obscene, sexist, or rude messages are strictly forbidden within  Seville Cathedral.

Barcelona’s main port is right at the bottom of Las Ramblas, steps away from all the main attractions. Wonderful if you are on the balcony of your cruise ship suite and can sit and watch the world go by right by the side of the ship. Not so wonderful if you are living nearby or even visiting when all you see is a towering floating apartment block. Now Barcelona has closed its city center to cruise ships, which will have to moor a 30-minute shuttle ride away. Many other cities, such as Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, and Marseille, have also enforced similar restrictions.

Venice was among the first to bar huge cruise ships from its iconic lagoon. Towering over the small city, these cruise ships were an eyesore, and the mass of passengers flooded the narrow streets for a day, often without spending a Euro, leaving the city dirty, crowded, and out of pocket. Now Venice is undergoing a trial period of charging day-trippers a fee of €5 ($5.40) daily. There is also a new limit of 25 people per walking tour to avoid clogging the streets.

A once quiet and peaceful tiny island off the northern Basque Country coast has had its peace shattered when the stunning setting with a spectacular staircase approach and an idyllic little church was featured in the ever-popular Game of Thrones series. Suddenly, visitors flocked to the remote islet, and the once deemed lucky ringing of the bell for the few visitors who climbed the 241 steps has now been forbidden, as it stresses out the marine birds nesting in the cliffs. But banning did not seem effective enough, so now the bell’s rope has been removed. Tough luck.

Amsterdam has long been struggling with over-tourism and is resorting more and more to drastic measures, from banning cruise ships to trying to relocate the famous Red Light District. With the city center firmly in the grip of tourists, the mayor has now banned shops from turning into “tourist stores.” Owners of city center stores are not allowed to even consider changing their stores into shops selling fridge magnets, miniature canal houses, or even junk food. No new money exchanges or anything that might appeal to tourists, and only tourists, is allowed in a bid to give the city center back to its residents.