It has finally happened. The first city in the world has started charging visitors to enter its premises. Venice has long grappled with the challenges posed by mass tourism and it currently welcomes an estimated 30 million visitors per year, far above the 50,000 population who actually live there. And the vast majority of the visitors just come for the day. In an attempt to preserve the balance between the daily life of Venice residents and provide an exceptional experience for visitors, the municipality launched a platform to purchase a €5 entrance fee last week.
Who has to pay the "Venice access fee" and who is exempt?
The entrance fee applies to visitors who come for the day and do not stay in Venice overnight. The fee affects Venice's historic city centre and excludes island access. The exemption also includes residents of Venice and the wider Veneto region, family members of residents, people coming in for work or volunteering reasons, students enrolled in Venice's universities, athletes visiting Venice for sports events and minors under the age of 14. Although people staying overnight in the city won’t have to pay the fee, they will still need to register for an exemption if they are in the city centre on the designated dates.
Why only the day trippers?
The tourists only visiting Venice for a day represent the majority of sight sighers who overcrowd the city and they usually belong to large tour groups, cruise ship passengers and people coming in from the surrounding Veneto region. Day trippers are considered to not add much economic value to Venice even though they put more strains on its infrastructure. On the other hand, visitors staying in Venice overnight tend to spend much more on accommodation and meals and overnight visitors already pay a fee to the municipality through a tourist tax, a fee paid to accommodation at the check-out.
While Venice implements this innovative approach to managing tourism, this won't affect your unforgettable Italian holiday with Long Travel. We make sure your exploration of Venice' unparalleled charm remains unaltered. Stay at our 5-star hotels' Ca Maria Adele, Ca'Sagredo Hotel, Sina Centurion Palace or Palazzina Grassi to best experience Venetian Canals and Gondola Rides, immersing yourself in the stunning architecture of St. Mark's Basilica and Square, admire the grandeur of the Rialto Bridge, offering breathtaking views of the Grand Canal and indulge in Venetian culinary delights.
When does it apply and where to pay the fee?
The fee applies on specific days from 25th April to 5th May and weekends in May, June, and July, from 8:30 am to 4 pm. You can access an online platform allowing you to prepay if you’re visiting for the day, here.
