Venice becomes the first city in the world to charge admission to tourists: What does the 1-day pass cost?

Starting this Thursday, those who decide to visit Venice during the day will have to pay a fee of 5 euros ($5.34).

The measure, which makes the Italian city the first city in the world to charge an entrance fee to its visitors, was imposed as part of an effort to deal with overtourism.

The ticket – which is only required to access the historic center of the city – can be purchased online.

A website generates a downloadable QR code that certifies that the entrance fee has been paid and this must be shown to local authorities who carry out random checks.

Tourists who do not pay the fee will face fines of between 50 and 300 euros ($54 and $320).

Those who reside in the city, traveling for work, students and children under 14 years of age are exempt, as are tourists who spend the night in the city.

Trial period

This is just a pilot project that will run for 29 days (mainly on weekends, when there are more visitors), and which runs until July 14.

Although the fee is moderate and the system does not impose a limit on visitors per day, municipal authorities hope it will serve to deter some of the tourists who crowd the city’s streets and bridges.

The main island of Venice, where the measure applies, attracted 3.2 million overnight visitors in 2022.

On busiest days, nearly 40,000 visitors come to the city.

protests

The excessive influx of tourists, in addition to the inconvenience it brings to both residents and visitors themselves, is putting pressure on the city’s infrastructure.

And, like other highly visited sites such as Lisbon or Barcelona, ​​it is pushing Venetians to move due to the lack of affordable housing, as owners prefer short-term rentals that generate high profits.

The imposition of the fee was not welcomed by many residents and neighborhood associations who came out to protest as soon as it came into effect, arguing that the measure does not serve to solve the problem.

Keep reading:

* Venice’s Plague Island: Unraveling centuries of history through skeletons
* How the Romans achieved the “colossally brilliant folly” of building Venice in the mud
* The 10 favorite destinations to travel in summer in 2024

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