Photo: Egor Gordeev/Unsplash
The initiative is being discussed amid the city’s struggle with mass tourism, which, according to local authorities, brings up to 80,000 visitors to the historic center.
According to The Times, former city officials and public figures have sharply criticized the idea, calling it a “barbaric” and disproportionate measure that could restrict access to the city for less affluent tourists.
The entrance fee system was first introduced in 2024 as an experiment: day-trippers were required to pay 5–10 euros to enter the historic center on certain days during the season. However, as The Guardian notes, the measure did not lead to a noticeable decrease in tourist traffic, despite the system being extended to 60 days in 2026.
City officials claim that raising the fee will help redistribute tourist traffic and fund cleaning, infrastructure maintenance, and the preservation of the lagoon’s unique historical heritage. At the same time, critics argue that such a policy effectively turns the city into a “pay-to-enter attraction,” violating the principle of free movement in Europe.
According to Euronews, the access system already requires mandatory online registration and a QR code for all visitors, while tourists staying overnight in hotels are exempt from the fee.
It should be noted that Venice remains one of Europe’s most overcrowded tourist cities, with an annual influx of tens of millions of people despite a permanent population of fewer than 50,000 residents.
