Venice's entry fee launches in April — here's what you should know

After lengthy delays, Venice, Italy's daytripper tourist tax will finally come into force April 25.

This tourism tax has been in talks for several years. It will be followed by a cap of 25 people for tour groups in the summer.

Here's what you need to know about each regulation.

5-euro daily tourism tax

On April 25, Venice will begin a pilot run of its daytripper tourism tax after it was previously delayed by the city council.

Initially, the "entry fee" is due to only be in place on certain days between April 25 and July 14 and will cost 5 euros (about $5.45). The tax can be paid prior to entry by visiting the online booking platform.

Currently, the Venice tourism tax won't apply to hotel guests or the city's many workers, commuters and students. Visitors traveling to Venice's lagoon islands — including Murano and Burano — will also be exempt. However, if you're arriving at these locations via vaporetto ferries from the city center, you will still be required to pay the fee.

Children under 14 will also not be required to pay the tax, nor will those visiting residents of the "Old City" historic center of Venice.

Those transiting through the Piazzale Roma bus terminal, Tronchetto or Stazione Marittima dock will also be exempt if they're not passing into the Old City.

Additionally, visitors with certified disabilities (along with any caregivers) or those traveling to the city for a sporting event or medical treatment will also be exempt.

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Eligible visitors will need to register for exemption on the same website linked above.

What dates will the Venice tourist tax be in force?

In 2024, visitors will be required to pay the fee on the following dates between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.:

• April 25-30
• May 1-5
• May 11-12
• May 18-19
• May 25-26
• June 8-9
• June 15-16
• June 22-23
• June 29-30
• July 6-7
• July 13-14

How to prepay the daytripper tourist tax if you're visiting Venice

You must book your visit via the Venice city council's online booking platform.

Once you're on the site, you need to click "Pay the Access Fee," which will take you to a site signposted by Venezia Unica. This is the official tourism site for Venice, and you should not pay this fee anywhere else.

Once you've accessed this area of the website, you'll be able to select your travel dates and the number of people you are traveling with, including children — though, as noted above, kids younger than 14 won't be charged.

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You'll then be asked to enter the names of any travelers who are not exempt before paying the fee. Once paid, you'll receive an email with your booking details and also a QR code to show authorities should you be asked during your visit.

In "exceptional" circumstances, you will also be able to pay on arrival at the Piazzale Roma bus terminal or the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. However, you're advised to pay prior to your visit.

Should you need to cancel your visit, you can do so up to 11:59 p.m. the day before you're due to arrive.

How to register for exemption from the Venice daytripper tourist tax

Those staying overnight in Venice, as opposed to visiting as part of a daytrip, will not have to pay the entry fee provided they have a confirmed reservation. They will instead pay an overnight tax as part of their hotel or rental costs.

Visitors can register for an exemption on the city council website. It'll ask you for an exemption reason before you give the dates of your visit, personal details and contact information.

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If successful, you will receive a QR code to show to authorities if asked during your visit.

25-person tour group cap

The aforementioned tax for daytrippers is just one of several fees and other measures the city plans to implement to curb the effects of immense tourism.

A new municipal resolution will cap tour groups at 25 people (i.e., half the passengers on a tourist bus). It'll also ban loudspeakers "that may cause confusion and disturbance." Both rules are effective June 1. This measure will also apply to groups in Murano, Burano and Torcello.

"It is a provision that is part of a broader framework of interventions aimed at improving and better managing tourism in Venice," tourism councilor Simone Venturini said in a statement Dec. 30, 2023. "A limit was therefore introduced on the number of participants in tourist groups and the use of amplifiers and parking in narrow streets, bridges or places of passage was prohibited. The number of 25 people was also decided to give homogeneity to what already happens for visits to the city's civic museums."

Bottom line

Venice is the latest popular tourist destination to add or bolster tourism-related fees in recent years. From Europe to New Zealand, leaders have grappled with the dual effects of immense tourism spending and tourists' toll on the environment and infrastructure. These impacts have been particularly potent as travel surged leading up to the pandemic and in the most recent couple of years.

Last summer, UNESCO recommended putting Venice on its list of endangered heritage sites, citing — among other factors — the impacts of tourism, severe weather and climate change.

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