From 25 April 2024, day tourists will face a €5 charge to visit Venice (Italy) on the busiest 29 days of the season, the city's mayor announced after the municipal council approved the initiative in September.
The fee applies from 25 April to 5 May, as well as on every weekend until mid-July, between 08:30 and 16:00. The weekend of 2 and 3 June will be an exception to this rule.
The aim is to alleviate the impact of mass tourism on the city. Despite hosting more than 100,000 visitors on some days, the city centre, comprising popular attractions such as St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge, has fewer than 50,000 regular residents. Venice receives nearly 5 million visitors each year.
Day tourists, who form the bulk of visitors, will be required to download a QR code to present upon entering the city. Those who fail to comply could incur a penalty ranging from €50 to €300.
Those spending the night in Venice will be exempt from this charge, as they already pay a tourist tax. This exemption also applies to commuters.
The application of this fee may be extended to additional periods in the future.
