ROME — Venice will keep charging an entrance fee next year of €10 ($11.53) per day, as the city of canals seeks to curtail the negative aspects of mass tourism.
In order to reduce crowding, short-term visitors are to be charged on a total of 60 days between the beginning of April and the end of July in 2026.
But if you book early — at least three days in advance — the fee is only €5.
The move sees the controversial regulation enter its third season.
In 2025, visitors paid between €5 and €10 on certain dates if they wanted to spend a few hours during the day in the alleys around St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.
Next year, the season begins on April 3, with the last payment date on July 26.
This year, more than 720,000 day visitors registered, bringing the lagoon city approximately €5.4 million. However, many managed to evade the fee.
The fee is intended to help better manage mass tourism in the city with its many unique sights.
In the first year, it was charged on 29 days, then on 54. Next year, visitors will be asked to pay on 60 days.
Critics say the fee does not deter many from coming to Venice as the city is already expensive — with a cappuccino on St Mark’s Square costing up to €17.
The northern Italian city is home to 50,000 people, fewer than the number of hotel beds in the city.
Hotel guests who stay longer in the city are exempt from the day fee, but they must pay an overnight tax.
©2025 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.