The historic Italian lagoon city of Venice is again charging daytrippers for the privilege of a visit in summer 2025, when the number of days on which the fee applies is set to double.
After a trial implementation of an “access charge” last year that generated €2.4 million, the fee came into action once more on 18 April 2025. It will need to be paid by all daytrippers intending to enter the city on any weekend date (Friday through Sunday) or holiday, between now and 27 July 2025. That’s a total of 54 days, around twice the number of chargeable days last year.
How much and does everyone need to pay?
Those who plan their day trip far enough in advance will pay €5. However, anyone who likes to be more spontaneous or leave it to the last minute (within four days of their visit date) will be required to pay €10, double the standard charge.
Meanwhile, those who attempt to dodge the fee altogether will be subject to fines ranging between €50 and €300, on top of being charged the maximum access levy if challenged by the municipal agents who spot-check whether people have paid. As proof of payment, and by way of a pass, a QR code is sent to visitors’ devices. This can be scanned at the designated points.
One way to avoid the fee legitimately is to visit Venice very early in the morning or go for the just the evening seeing as the charge only applies during the peak hours of 8:30 am to 4 pm. Accessing the city for medical, study, or work reasons also comes free.
Another way to get out of the levy is to book an overnight stay, as guests remaining in the “floating city” for longer than a few hours will be exempt from the day fee, since accommodation prices already include a tourist tax.
Finally, of course, residents of Venice and the Veneto region also escape paying anything, but those are few and far between these days: official figures show that fewer than 50,000 people now actually live day-to-day in the city. It is tourists who dominate, numbering around 30 million per year.
Why was the fee introduced?
The day fee was brought in after the negative effects of overtourism nearly caused Venice to be placed on the UNESCO endangered world heritage list. The plan to reduce tourist footfall by introducing a day trip fee was recognised by the UN body as one of the ways in which authorities were attempting to protect their city.
But not everyone found it an effective measure during the pilot scheme last year. Residents criticised the designated entry points around their streets for making them feel as though they lived in a theme park. Others complained that although 70% of visitors to the city are daytrippers, it is in fact overnight guests who create noise pollution and a crowding problem when they wheel suitcases through narrow alleys.
Still, more detractors point out that official data proves around 7,000 more tourist entries were recorded during the 2024 trial period compared to the previous year. It remains to be seen over time what the impact of the evolving scheme will be, on what UNESCO celebrates as Venice’s “outstanding universal value.”
