TOURISTS have been warned to carefully select their footwear when exploring Greece – as the wrong pair could land them a £700 fine.
High heels are forbidden in some parts of the holiday hotspot under the country’s strange rules regarding etiquette at their attractions.
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Sun worshippers have to leave their stilettos at home if they want to visit ancient sites and monuments during their trip.
Laws were brought introduced in 2009 prohibiting shoes that could disrupt or damage the ancient ruins or landmarks in Greece.
This includes the likes of the Acropolis, Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens and the Epidaurus Theatre in the Peloponnese region.
The strict rules surrounding footwear were brought in by officials to protect the nation’s landscape and heritage.
Millions of tourists flock to the destination each year to soak up the rich history at the sites – but each step comes at a risk of damage.
Those who don high heels at historic monuments can be slapped with a fine of up to £771 for committing the misdemeanour.
Beachgoers have also been urged to be on their best behaviour, as another seemingly innocent act could land you in hot water.
Visitors who decide to sneak away with a pebble after a day at the seaside could also be slapped with a hefty penalty.
It is illegal for people to take pebbles or surrounding stones from the sand – and this is also punishable with a fine of up to £771.
This law applies across several popular beaches, including Lalaria Beach in Skiathos.
Although rule breakers will most likely end up paying a lesser sum, its better to resist the urge to take a souvenir home with you.
Across the Mediterranean, other strange fines could affect British travellers and those heading to Spain are reminded to stick to only wearing beachwear on the beach.
On the popular island of Majorca or in the city of Barcelona, if you walk around the cities in a swimsuit, bikini, swimming trunks or even bare-chested you can be fined anywhere between £86 – £171.
Last month, authorities in Majorca also unrolled new fines in a bid to crackdown on “undesirable” behaviour on their most popular beaches.
The tough crackdown is designed to get rid of rowdy tourists as the council wants to win coveted Blue Flag status for the area around Colonia de Sant Jordi.
The new bylaws ban being naked and the use of speakers, radios, and musical instruments that “may cause a nuisance”.
Street and beach vendors are also banned – as is camping on the beaches, lighting fires, or detonating fireworks.
Bizarrely in the Brit hotspot of Benidorm, if you want to build sandcastles on Levante beach – you’ll need to get a permit first or you could be fined up to £129.
And if you also smoke, sleep or use shampoo or body wash on the beach you could be fined hundreds more.
Meanwhile in Sardinia, you could be slapped with £430 fines after a popular Italian resort town rolled out new etiquette rules.
Locals and tourists hitting the beach in Sant’Antioco will be walking on eggshells after 23 controversial new restrictions, which even forbid eating ice creams.