Venice to soon charge day trippers for entry

Venice has long been the poster child for overtourism, with the city’s once-quiet lanes and canals regularly filled with hordes of tourists, the booming sound of megaphones and a near-endless stream of cruise ship arrivals. That may soon change.

The trial of a new €5 (AUD$8.30) entry fee for all day visitors aged 14 years and above comes into effect from April 25, though only on certain days during the high season until July 14.

It’s hoped the fee will go some way to reducing the overcrowding in key sights such as Saint Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace, or at the very least allow the city council to better manage its effects.

Measures to control the influx of visitors into Venice have been debated for years, with an overnight tax rolled out in 2011 and ban on larger cruise ships introduced in 2021 just two of the methods intended to preserve the historic city. 

Originally expected to be built into the cost of transport to Venice, the day entry fee must now be paid in advance via a dedicated online portal for all visits between the hours of 8:30am and 4pm.

Exemptions are available for those staying overnight, or arriving in the late evening for dinner or a concert. Details are available on the council website. 

The new entry fee is separate to an existing overnight bed tax, which varies between low and high season from €1 to €5 and is payable for the first five consecutive nights.

In addition to the new day-visitor tax, a cap limiting walking tours to a max of 25 people is also rolling out from June 1. The use of megaphones will also be scrapped, meaning tours will need to use systems with earphones – or simply stand closer together.

For anyone who’s visited Venice previously, the last change is sure to be a welcome one.

Whether the combined changes are enough to reduce Venice’s tourism woes is yet to be seen, but it’s hoped they will at least improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.