Strolling through the bustling streets of Venice will look very different this summer, as Italy is set to introduce a fee for tourists and restrictions on tour groups starting in weeks.
The gorgeous city is a major tourist attraction known for its network of canals and the gondolas that float along the water next to quaint Venetian Gothic architecture.
But if you’re hoping to visit landmarks like the Palazzo Ducale, eat the traditional Venetian dish Bigola in salsa at a restaurant by the water and recreate Madonna’s iconic Like A Virgin music video this summer, there will be new obstacles to consider.
The biggest one is Venice’s entry free which begins in a few months, but only certain visitors will have to pay it.
To say that Venice is popular is a huge understatement. It’s estimated that about 30 million tourists walk through the narrow streets of the sinking city each year according to the BBC. However, only around 3.2 million people stayed overnight in 2022, far higher than the estimated 50,000 residents that call the area home.
Over-tourism is a serious problem and to address the issue, the Venice City Council has confirmed plans to limit the number of groups that can travel to the city.
Beginning on June 1, guided groups travelling to the UNESCO world heritage site, as well as the equally tempting islands of Burano and Torcello, will be limited to a maximum of 25 people. This is approximately half the capacity of a standard tour bus – which can usually accommodate 50 passengers.
Another tourist attraction is charging people to visit
Earlier this year it was confirmed that Mount Fuji in Japan is the latest major attraction to charge tourists to visit.
The impressive mountain – which is an active volcano and the highest peak in Japan – attracts thousands of climbers every year. In 2023, 221,322 people made the ascent.
Concerns over rubbish and the safety of hikers has prompted Japanese authorities impose the new tax – the price of which is yet to be announced.
The rule aims to cut down pedestrian traffic in immensely popular areas such as Piazza San Marco and Murano’s Via del Giudecca.
The council hopes that the new rules will also cut down noise pollution by banning the use of portable loudspeakers. If you have been on a city tour before, you’ll know that these are key items for tour leaders.
Instead, they will have to rely on their own voices, or will need to use whisper radio sets, portable microphones and headsets.
Elisabetta Pesce, who is in charge of security in Venice, said the new policies are ‘an important measure aimed at improving the management of groups in the historic centre and on the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. It’s about promoting sustainable tourism and guaranteeing the protection and safety of the city.’
What is the Venice entry fee and when does it start?
Because the majority of Venice visitors travel there for just a day, council officials announced in September last year that a day-tripper charge would be introduced from spring 2024.
It came after an announcement from UNESCO that it was considering adding Venice to its endangered list, partly due to damage by high tourist numbers. However the city managed to avoid being added to the list, despite the risks that arise from mass tourism, floods and droughts.
We now know the exact days the charge test will be in effect, how much it will be and who will have to pay it.
The Venice Access Fee is a pay-to-enter charge specifically aimed at day visitors following years of debates around the topic of over tourism.
From April 25, tourists planning a to touch down for the day will have to pay €5 (£4.30). Residents, commuters, students and children under 14 will be exempt, as will tourists staying overnight.
When will the Venice entry fee 2024 be tested?
If you are planning to visit on the following dates between 8:30am and 4pm local time, travellers over the age of 14 will be charged €5
- April 25–30
- May 1–5, 11–12, 18–19, 25–26
- June 8–9, 15–16, 22–23, 29–30
- July 6–7, 13–14
You can pay the fee and get your QR code here.
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