A stroll along the Grand Canal, a gondola ride through skinny side streets, a wander around the Peggy Guggenhiem collection and lots and lots of pasta – Venice is one of the most popular city breaks for a reason.
But, from next year, tourists could be made to pay a €5 (£4.30) tourist tax if they want to take a day trip to the famous Italian city.
The scheme was first due to start in June 2022 and then again in January 2023, but after facing some delays the city has now announced it is set to come into force in spring 2024, initially as a 30-day experiment.
The tax will only apply to those travelling to the Old City (which is the main area of Venice), rather than minor islands such as Burano, Murano and Torcello, and those visiting for one night or more will be exempt from the tax.
However, those exempt from the fee will still need to register your trip on the online booking system.
Rather than turning a profit, the tax is intended to dissuade people from visiting the city on particularly busy days in a bid to prevent overcrowding.
It follows an announcement from Unesco that it was considering adding Venice to its endangered list, partly due to damage by high tourist numbers.
With the threat of Venice’s ubiquitous canal drying up, €5 is a small price to pay to protect one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
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