Last November, Venice authorities unveiled a pilot program for their long-mooted plan to charge day-trippers to visit the city.
25.04.2024 - 07:15 / nytimes.com
After years of debate, Venice on Thursday will begin charging day visitors five euros to visit its fragile historic center on peak days, making it the first city in the world to adopt such a measure to counter overtourism.
Critics question whether a nominal fee will put people off from visiting one of the world’s most desired destinations. But officials hope that it might encourage some to rethink their plans and decide to come on weekdays or in the off-season. That might help mitigate the impact of the estimated 20 million visitors who descended last year on the city’s beleaguered residents, who number fewer than 50,000, according to municipal statistics. About half of those visitors came only for the day, city officials said. Overnight guests are exempt from the fee.
The spirit of the initiative, city officials have said, is to make people aware of the uniqueness — and fragility — of Venice. Overtourism is creating an economy solely based on tourism that risks killing the city by pushing its dwindling residents out, said Nicola Camatti, an economics professor and expert in tourism at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
The fee goes into effect on Thursday, a holiday in Italy. For 2024, city officials have singled out 29 peak days when single-day travelers in Venice between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. have to pay. The days run until mid-July and are mostly on national holidays and weekends. The access-fee website provides a list of the dates.
While just about everyone visiting the city has to register to obtain a QR code, not all visitors have to pay the fee. Overnight guests at registered accommodations like hotels or Airbnbs are exempt, because they already pay a daily tourist tax, as are people who study or work in Venice and those visiting relatives. There are other exemptions as well.
Last November, Venice authorities unveiled a pilot program for their long-mooted plan to charge day-trippers to visit the city.
Visitors to Venice who fail to pay the entry fee to the historic city centre will face fines starting at 10 times the €5 ticket price.
It’s a Biennale time in Venice, aka the Art Olympics, an every-two-year event where La Serenissima’s 118 islands are almost entirely dedicated to contemporary art from countries and artists around the world. What started out as small art fair in the Giardini, Venice’s public park, has turned into a six-month, all-island, non-stop blockbuster art fest of exhibitions in palaces, galleries, public spaces, and, of course, the Giardini and Arsenale. This year’s 60th Venice Biennale Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere brings it on strong with 331 artists, 88 national pavilions and 30 collateral events, not to mention other pop ups. That’s a lot of art to take in, and a lot of ground to cover. After years of visiting the Biennale as press and also including time working at the US Pavilion, I’ve finally figured out the best way to navigatee Venice Biennale.
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Day tourists are now charged an entry toll whenever they set foot in Venice’s historic center during peak periods. The city began charging day tourists an entry fee of 5 euros (around $5.30) on Thursday.
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Pulling into the Santa Lucia train station in Venice on Thursday morning, passengers were told via an overhead announcement that they might have to pay a 5-euro fee to enter the city’s historic center. Failure to pay could result in a fine from 50 to 300 euros, the announcement said.
Day visitors to Venice on Thursday had to pay to get in as the famous city started implementing the much-talked about day trip fee.
Venice, a city of history and mystery, is once again at the forefront of the global art scene, hosting the 60th International Art Exhibition, titled "Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere." Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, this year’s Biennale extends beyond just an art exhibition; it is a profound narrative on cultural exchange, environmental sustainability, and the interwoven fabric of global identity. From April 20 to November 24, 2024, the Biennale transforms Venice into a canvas of multicultural dialogue, showcasing works that provoke, inspire, and unite. Here are the 10 pavilions and exhibitions that stand out in this year's compelling lineup.