Holidaymakers warn proposed €50 charge could price ordinary families out of one of Europe’s most famous cities

European holidaymakers have vowed to boycott Venice following controversial plans to raise its day-tripper entrance fee to €50 (£43), warning the move could turn the city into an exclusive playground for the rich and wealthy.

The Italian city already charges short-stay visitors to enter on peak days, with the current fee set at €5 (£4.30) for those who book in advance and €10 (£8.70) for last-minute arrivals.

But the city’s Mayor, Simone Venturini, has proposed increasing the charge to between €30 (£26) and €50 (£43) on the busiest days as Venice tries to control peak-season crowds.

Day-trippers placed “significant strain on Venice, generating additional costs for cleaning, transport and public safety services, while contributing less to the local economy than overnight guests”, he said in a statement.

The increased fee would apply to day visitors who do not stay overnight in the city, meaning tourists planning a brief stop could face a steep charge before they have paid for trains, food, museums or a gondola ride.

Holidaymakers said the plan would put less wealthy couples and families under pressure to abandon short visits or book accommodation in a city where central hotels can already cost hundreds of pounds a night in summer.

Sarah Whitmore, 42, from Bristol, England, said she would avoid visiting Venice under any circumstances “and at any time of the year” if the charge rose to €50.

She told The European: “I love Venice, but €50 just to walk into the city is ridiculous. By the time you add trains, lunch and museum tickets, it turns a day trip into a very expensive outing. We would go somewhere else in Italy.”

French visitor Luc Moreau, 36, from Lyon, said the proposal risked pricing ordinary families out of one of Europe’s most famous cities.

 “I understand Venice has a serious problem with too many visitors, but €50 punishes the poor and means only wealthier tourists can go for the day. If you are being pushed to stay overnight, the cost becomes even worse.”

Venice introduced the lower access charge on April 25, 2024, becoming the first city in the world to make day-trippers pay for entry.

But Venturini, who became mayor in late May, has said Venice is preparing a proposal for the Italian government and parliament that would allow the city to raise the access fee on particularly busy days once certain booking thresholds have been reached.

He said the measure was intended to make the charge a stronger deterrent during periods of peak tourist pressure, especially as visitor numbers are expected to rise further in the coming decades.

The access fee was currently the “only practical instrument” Venice had to manage daily visitor flows and support the upkeep and protection of the city, he added.

The proposal would make short visits significantly more expensive for tourists arriving by train, coach, cruise ship or on organised day trips.

A couple could pay up to €100 (£86) before food, transport, museums or gondola rides, while a family of four could face a €200 (£172) charge simply to enter the city on the busiest days.

Swedish student Elin Andersson, 19, from Gothenburg, said she had planned to visit Venice during a rail trip through northern Italy but would reconsider if the higher charge came in.

She said: “I would not pay €50 for an entry ticket before I had even bought a coffee. Staying overnight in Venice is beautiful, but it is very expensive in summer. I would rather spend that money in Verona, Padua or Bologna.”

Travellers who book overnight accommodation in Venice are exempt from the charge, although visitors still have to register for the required access documentation.

Spanish tourist Javier Martín, 51, from Valencia, said the city needed better crowd controls but warned that the higher charge could backfire.

 “Venice is already extremely expensive. A family could be paying €200 before they have done anything. If the answer is to stay the night, that could mean hundreds more. Many people will simply choose another city.”

READ MORE: Zanzibar’s tourism boom ‘exposes new investment opportunities beyond hotels’. Record visitor arrivals, rising hotel capacity, expanding air connectivity, and new transport investment highlight growing demand for attractions, cultural assets and family experiences.

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