After trialling a €5 entry fee for day-trippers last summer, the city of Venice has now confirmed that its tourist tax will be rolled out again next year – and this time, certain visitors will have to pay double the amount to enter the Floating City.
While tourists who book to visit the city over four days in advance will be charged a standard fee of €5, those with last-minute reservations will be charged €10. The tax will also be extended to cover a longer period next year, running over 54 days from April 18 to July 27.
The silver lining? The fee will only be applied at peak times, meaning weekends and holidays from 8.30am to 4pm. Plus, it looks like the trial run proved successful.
Despite being delayed several times and facing huge protests on the day of its launch, Venice pursued the tax on day-trippers in a bid to curb tourist numbers. Over 29 days between April 25 and July 14 this year, the QR code was downloaded and the tax paid no less than 485,062 times.
Those who failed random checks within that time faced fines of between €50 and €300 (£53 to £257) – you’re better off just paying the €5, eh?
Overall, the scheme generated a hefty €2.4 million, which officials say was put toward restoration and maintenance of areas popular with tourists. It’s been lauded as a success by the city, and even a ‘cultural revolution’ by Venice’s top tourist official Simone Venturini, according to Sky News.
But the entry fee still has its naysayers. Opposition councillor Giovanni Andrea Martini branded the tax a ‘failure’ as it did not make a difference in curbing overall visitor numbers, despite making money for the city.
While we’re on the subject of the Floating City, here are our favourite things to do in Venice.
Did you see that non-EU citizens will have to pay more to visit these tourist attractions?
Plus: These are the best places to visit in 2025, according to National Geographic.
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