Venice is one of the top tourist destinations in Europe and a magical spot when it comes to organising events. As we always keep our favourite destinations on our radar, the news about Venice setting an entrance fee to the city really got our interest.

On January 16, 2023, Venice will become the first city in the world to require an entrance fee, as announced by the city councillor for tourism Simone Venturini. He called the new measure a “great revolution” and a solution for the over-tourism problem that Venice has struggled with for decades.

The cost of the ticket will range from a 3-euro minimum right up to 10 euros. The price will vary according to the number of visitors: the more requests for entry, the higher the cost. The goal is not to “close the city” but to get people to book their presence to reduce the “tourist peaks.”

The decision to set an entrance fee comes from a new mentality towards tourism after 2 years of pandemic. As Venturini explained: “Covid made us realise that what was an everyday occurrence before Covid isn’t acceptable anymore – the mentality has changed, as has the sensitivity”.

The booking system will give Venetians the chance to know how many people are visiting that day and to calibrate services according to the number. The portal will also flag visitors that they might want to change their mind in case big crows are predicted for that particular time.

Venturini stated that Venice won’t be the last to introduce a charge and that many other European cites are trying to understand in what way they can implement a similar measure.