New Law Bans Loud Music On The Beach, Could See Tourists Getting Fined

It seems people have had enough of loud music while sunning on the beaches of Portugal. In fact, a fine of up to €36,000 ($39,500) could hit tourists for cranking out the noise. Besides a fine, people could find their portable speakers confiscated too.

Portugal bans loud music on the beach

Some people want peace and quiet while relaxing on the beach and now Portugal is doing its best to ensure this. Instead of having fellow beachgoers blasting out the tunes, the country is trying its best to keep things quieter.

The country’s National Maritime Authority (AMN) recently made the announcement that anyone blasting loud music on the beach could face a fine of €36,000 ($39,500). These new restrictions came into place just as peak tourism season kicks off in Portugal’s most popular beach destinations.

According to Timeout, AMN announced last month that the new ruling prohibits the “use of sound equipment and noise-generating activities which, under the terms of the law, may cause discomfort.”

Meanwhile, it isn’t clear how high the volume has to be to be a finable offense. However, as loud music is classed as a disturbance, beachgoers can make noise complaints directly to the local Maritime Police responsible for that particular stretch of sand.

Beach rules and regulations

According to the AMN, fines could be anywhere from €200 ($220) to €4,000 ($4,400) for individual beachgoers. However, when it comes to groups of people making noise on the sand, the fine can be anything from €2,000 ($2,200) to €36,000 ($39,500). Meanwhile, the “accessory,” such as speakers, could also be confiscated.

However, new rules cover other activities that are forbidden on the beaches of Portugal. These include camping on the sand, making fires and playing ball games outside of designated areas.

Europe tackling anti-social behavior and overtourism

Besides loud music on the beach, tourists are also being targeted by various EU nations for other antisocial behavior. In the summer of 2022, Barcelona and other Spanish resorts banned smoking on the beach to shield beachgoers from second-hand smoke. More importantly, the ruling is to protect the marine environment from cigarette butts, as they are not biodegradable.

Besides beach regulations, many destinations from Croatia to Portugal are introducing other rules. By doing so, they hope to make popular tourist destinations more livable for locals. Greece has recently introduced a time slot system for tourists visiting the Acropolis to try and combat hoards of visitors.

Moreover, Venice also introduced restrictions on day visitors. Meanwhile, Rome has introduced an entry fee for the Pantheon. Also, many EU nationals, including Portugal, are tightening restrictions on short-term rentals in an effort to combat local inflation in the housing market.

In June, the news was widely shared that Dubrovnik was planning a baggage drop-off system to reduce the noise of wheeled suitcases in its cobbled Old Town. However, while locals are fed up with the noise, this ruling has since been disputed in the media.

If you are planning a vacation in Portugal this summer, heed the warnings. However, if you want loud music while sunbathing, bring some headphones to keep it private.