Tourists can fall foul of foreign laws simply by feeding pigeons or chewing gum on trains
Donning military-style camouflage clothing or slipping into a bikini can lead to fines in some areas, while
eating near churches is forbidden in the Italian city of Florence.
The warnings follow a recent Foreign Office report stating that 27 per cent of cases of Britons requiring
consular assistance abroad were for arrests or detentions.
The FO list of unusual laws and customs includes:
• VENICE
Feeding pigeons is against the law.
• JAPAN
It is illegal to take some commonly available nasal sprays containing pseudoephedrine into
the country.
• BARCELONA
It is against the law to wear a bikini, swimming trunks or to go bare-chested away from the
beach front area of the city.
• SINGAPORE - Chewing gum is strictly prohibited on the Mass Rapid Transit system.
• BARBADOS - It is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing.
• NIGERIA - It is illegal to take mineral water into the country.
• FIJI - Sunbathing topless is prohibited.
• MALDIVES - Public observance of religions other than Islam is prohibited for non-Maldivians
and visitors.
The Foreign Office's consular services director, Charles Hay, said: "Every year British
nationals find themselves on the wrong side of the law unexpectedly, resulting in fines or in
some cases arrests or even jail sentences.
"It is important to remember that laws and customs can vary greatly from country to country
and what may be perfectly legal in the UK could be subject to a fine or even a jail sentence in
another."
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