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It may be known as the land of 'la dolce vita', but Italy may not seem as luxurious to some in the future after a number of bizarre by-laws were passed in some of its towns.

As a result of a nationwide crackdown on crime and a ruling giving them extra powers, some Italian mayors have created regulations designed to improve public decorum, Reuters reports.

It is now prohibited to build sandcastles on the beach in Eraclea, near Venice, or to wander away from the seafront while wearing a bikini in Capri.

A couple canoodling in public is a frequent sight in Italy, but amorous visitors to Eboli are warned that public displays of affection in a car can lead to a fine of up to €500 (£397).

Other activities to get the thumbs-down from local authorities include lighting fireworks in Positano on any day other than a Saturday and smoking on the beach at Oristano in Sardinia.

The strict approach seemed to reach a ridiculous point in Vicenza, however, when a man was reportedly fined €50 for lying down in a park to read a book.

After the 33-year-old called local radio to air his grievance, however, the mayor promised to drop the ban.

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