Starting sometime this year, Venice will charge tourists to enter the city.
There have been murmurings of this plan since around 2018. Now updates have been announced that the Italian city of Venice will charge tourists to enter the city, particularly, day-trippers later in 2022.
Most Americans visiting Italy stay around 7-10 days with their time divided between Florence, Rome and Venice (add Capri or the Amalfi Coast in the summer). The city welcomes around 30 million tourists yearly and this has totally changed the social fabric of it.
The negatives that you’ll hear? Crowds, floods, the price gouging of tourists, misunderstood inhospitality or lack of true Venetians in the city (around 50,000) are just a few. But guess what? Despite all of this, Venice is absolutely worth it. I will never say Venice is overrated because… just WOW. The floods? They just add to the urgency of “Venice is sinking! Get there now!” During my mother’s last pre-pandemic visit to Italy, despite a train strike, being exhausted, I insisted we go to Venice. “Mom! It’s a world wonder. You can’t come here and not see Venice!”
Michele hasn’t been into Venice since he was a kid. I last went in the fall of 2019 and I’m dying to go back and visit a few workshops in Murano and other Venetian islands. Venice is close enough to us in Milan / Bergamo that it is an easy day trip. But, if Venice will charge tourists to enter the city, will that change some regional tourism?
If you saw those videos of dolphins in the lagoon during 2020 (they were fake by the way), it seems that Venice received a much needed break and clean up in these last years. If you’re going to go there now, be prepared for some changes that the city hopes will combat over-tourism.
- Sometime this year the city will begin requiring tourists to reserve a ticket in advance of visiting.
- This would not apply if you’re staying there over night, in a hotel, airbnb etc.
- How much? From €3 to €8
- The Goal? “to discourage day-tripping and encourage high-quality, experiential tourism” – Venice City council member Simone Venturini told this to AFAR
- How will they enforce it? There are discussions about an app for booking. Turnstiles are also on the table. 500 CCTV cameras will be installed throughout the city and the police will use mobile data to monitor tourist comings and goings.
- Downsides of the turnstiles? This isn’t cute! What is this an airport? Disney World? Why not something like the Green Pass?
So, what do you think? If Venice will charge tourists to enter the city, do you mind? Will a charge and reservations change your idea of a last minute day trip to Venezia while you’re in Italy?
See my video of Venice’s city scapes and just how crowded it can get, particularly in the summer high season. So, with a fee, is it worth a day trip?
I’d say absolutely. But let’s distinguish between an open air museum and Disney World.