Venice has been struggling with overtourism for a long time. Its narrow alleyways and canals are inundated with visitors, particularly in the peak summer months, which not only makes daily life more expensive for locals but also causes damage to the city’s historic streets.
To curb some of the impact, Venice last year trialled a €5 entry fee for those spending a day in the city – a scheme which is now set to return.
A crackdown on ‘hit-and-run’ tourism
The daytripper fee is supposed to discourage so-called ‘hit-and-run’ tourism, where visitors arrive and leave on the same day. This sort of travel has little benefit to Venice or its residents: the less time people spend in the city, visiting its local businesses and scoping out neighbourhood restaurants, the less money goes into the pockets of locals. Roughly 30 million people visit Venice each year, many of whom do not stay overnight.
Day trips to be booked on a dedicated platform in advance
Anyone who wants to spend the day in Venice in peak season will need to book a slot in advance on a dedicated platform, at a cost of €5 (which increases to €10 for late bookers). Previously, this system was in operation for 54 days a year, but from 2026 the fee will be expanded to cover 60 days between April and July.
The pass takes the form of a QR code on your phone, which will be scanned at various access points including train stations and bus terminals. Random checks can be carried out throughout the historic centre, with fines of up to €300 if you’re caught wandering the streets without one.
If you’re local, staying overnight, or are in town for work or as a student, you’ll be exempt from paying the fee. You also won’t need to pay if you’re visiting outside of the hours of 8.30am-4pm.
In the 2024 trial period, 485,062 passes were issued, generating a total of €2.4 million for the city. Critics argue that it has not done enough to deter daytrippers, but authorities, including mayor Luigi Brugnaro, are convinced that the scheme strikes the right balance between taking control of high tourism numbers without being overly invasive.
Here are the exact dates you’ll need a tourist pass to visit Venice for in 2026:
April: 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
May: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31
June: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
July: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
More on overtourism in Europe
Venice isn’t the only place struggling with mass tourism, but if you’ve got a holiday planned sometime soon, there’s no need to cancel. Just have a read of our guide on how to be a better tourist when you travel, and a more sustainable one. We’ve also done a deep dive into whether Europe can actually recover from this level of overtourism.
Did you see that this airline has introduced a controversial new rule for kids in first class?
Plus: Europe’s most expensive city for renters has been named – and it’s not London.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
