Long-known as a party island, this Croatian destination is trying to appeal to a new demographic of tourists by slapping party-goers with hefty fines for beachwear and alcohol

This Croatian city has introduced huge fines to deter bad behaviour, despite making big investments to draw in tourists in 2025. Hvar, well-known for being one of Croatia’s big party islands, has confirmed new fines and restrictions targeting rowdy tourists.

City councillors recently voted to maintain noise restrictions ahead of the summer season, despite pushback from local restaurant, bar and business owners that rely on tourist traffic. According to a local report, the noise restriction is quite strict, limited to 85 decibels (basically the same as a noisy restaurant). In addition to maintaining the noise restrictions, there are a host of other hidden fees travellers headed to Croatia should keep in mind. Everything from your swimwear to collecting alcohol is dangerous territory, depending where you do it.

Travellers who wear bikinis or speedos outside the beach will be subjected to a £499 fine. Similarly, those who go shirtless in the town centre will be slapped with a €416 fine. Want to drink alcohol in public? Go ahead, but only if you’re willing to pay a staggering £583 fine for it. The rules don’t just target party-goers though. For example, removing noble pen shells from Hvar beaches will result in a £55/per shell fine.

It’s important to note that Hvar is not the only Croatian city to introduce strict fines like this. Popular destinations like Split and Dubrovnik have also introduced similar crackdowns on public alcohol consumption and attire to increase their appeal to a new demographic of travellers.

According to Darijo Šarić, CEO of VIP Holiday Booker, there is a decided shift to a more family-friendly and sustainable tourism model in the country. He said: “In previous years, open-air clubs in Hvar and Split may have encouraged excessive partying among guests, and contributed to a “party destination” image in Croatian tourism. However, Croatia has increasingly built a reputation for being a family-friendly destination, offering cultural richness, natural beauty, and a relaxed atmosphere.”

Croatia has been investing heavily to increase its tourism ahead of the 2025 travel season. A suite of new luxury accommodations, festivals and major culinary and sporting events are in place to make this the country’s biggest travel year to date. There are also a host of new flights on offer to various destinations along the Istrian Coast that extend well into October, including:

• Birmingham – twice weekly flights (Monday and Friday) added between 6th and 17th October 2025.
• Manchester – twice weekly flights (Monday and Thursday) added between 6th and 16th October 2025.
• London Stansted – weekly Saturday flights added on 11th and 18th October 2025.
• A new twice-weekly easyJet route from Liverpool to Split is also set to launch on June 9, 2025 to help bring UK travellers to central Dalmatia.

One of the reasons Croatia may appeal so strongly to party tourists – aside from it’s significant sunshine and impressive beaches – is because it is so safe. For the second year in a row, Croatia has been ranked the safest country in Europe for nightlife by the World of Statistics.

If you’re feeling deterred by the fines, Šarić says you have nothing to fear. “These fines are largely symbolic, intended more to deter bad behaviour rather than to punish anyone. In practice, local authorities tend to be understanding, with very few fines being enforced.”