Tourism: Visitors to Venice must pay entry for the first time

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tourism
Visitors to Venice must pay entry for the first time

A group of tourists in front of the Doge’s Palace in the center of Venice. photo

© Christoph Sator/dpa

On many days it is almost impossible to get through the narrow streets around St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. Now Venice is reacting: entry is now due, initially on a test basis.

In Venice, one of the most visited travel destinations in the world, tourists have to pay an entrance fee for the first time. Since this Thursday, the Italian lagoon city has been charging all day guests five euros between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The test will initially run until May 5th and then virtually every weekend until mid-July – on 29 days this year. A decision will then be made by the end of the year as to whether this will become a permanent regulation, possibly on additional days and at higher prices.

Entry is paid by obtaining a QR code online and downloading it onto your cell phone. Otherwise, a fine of up to 300 euros will be due. Locals, commuters and children under 14 are exempt. Overnight guests also need a QR code, but they get it free of charge from the hotel or landlord. Initially, checks should only be carried out using random samples. There is no upper limit when the city is reached. The income will later be used to renovate canals, streets and buildings.

According to current information from the administration, more than 80,000 people reported that they were in Venice on Thursday alone. Of these, only around 7,000 had actually paid admission as of Wednesday afternoon, it was said. All others are locals, overnight guests or other visitors for whom there are exceptions.

The stream of visitors from all over the world brings a lot of money into the coffers of the city on the Adriatic. Mass tourism has been troubling Venice for decades. Today there are no longer 50,000 permanent residents in the old town with its hundreds of canals, most of whom are of retirement age. There are more than 50,000 guest beds for this purpose. On many days it is almost impossible to get through the narrow streets around St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. According to estimates, around 15 million visitors traveled last year.

The regulation came into force this Thursday because a public holiday in Italy commemorates the end of the German occupation in 1945. Because of the May 1st holiday next week, many Italians are using the coming days for an extremely long weekend – a so-called super ponte (super bridge). Therefore, in addition to the many guests from abroad, even more local visitors are expected in Venice than already.

City information in German

dpa

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