Venice is set to bring back its fee for tourist access in 2026 for the third year in a row – a move anticipated to raise in excess of €5 million.
The charge will apply to day trippers aged 14 years and over visiting the historic lagoon city between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from April to the end of July 2026 – making a total of 60 days on which the levy will be payable, nine more than in 2025.
After UNESCO warned that Venice’s heritage was being endangered by overtourism, the access charge or contributo d’acceso was first introduced by city authorities in 2024. Intended to discourage single-day trips, which officials say contribute to overcrowding and are seen as adding little value to the city compared to overnight stays, it has prompted much debate, with some locals complaining that it makes their hometown feel like a Disney theme park.
Other detractors claim the charge is not working to reduce daily tourist numbers, which reached almost 25,000 at the height of the season, the equivalent of half the residential population. Although fees were paid by an average of 13,046 people per day in 2025, as opposed to 16,676 per day in 2024, a drop of almost 22%, that reduction matches wider regional trends and so is difficult to attribute to the measure.
However, proponents, such as Councillor Michele Zuin, say the charge is a world first and is still an “experimental measure” in trial phase, arguing that it gives the city a better handle on expected tourist numbers, helping with the management of crowds and footfall. It is also worth noting that since its introduction, it has more than covered the €3 million it cost to set up and has raised a further €4 million.
The price of the 2026 entry fee has not yet been confirmed, having risen from €5 in its first year to €10 in its second, but it is clear that an array of exceptions will apply. Residents and those born in the Veneto region do not need to pay, and neither do their visitors, students enrolled locally, disabled visitors, or those entering the designated zones for care or medical reasons. Overnight guests with hotel reservations are exempt too, as they already pay a tourist tax as part of their accommodation bill.
Anyone who is required to pay must do so via an online portal, which issues a QR code for use at checkpoints.
