From our editorial team
Venice - For years, the "pigeon feeders" had disappeared from St Mark's Square: The city of Venice had banned the feeding of birds from 2008. At the time, inspectors patrolled St Mark's Square. Suddenly, the wild providers of corn and rice are back...
Until the feeding ban, a photo in a sea of pigeons was a must when visiting Venice. With millions of tourists a year, the pigeons were so well fed that they multiplied massively, causing damage to the historic buildings. The city of Venice introduced a fine of up to 500 euros - which quickly had an effect. The fine also applies to feeding seagulls.
A handful of rice for 3 euros
Now the first illegal sellers of rice grains and corn are back - all for the perfect Instagram photo. And some tourists grab them and pose in a flock of birds. The next inspectors won't be long in coming. With more than 50 million tourists a year, Venice is cracking down to keep control of the city of 50,000 inhabitants. Fines range from 25 to 500 euros.
No food on bridges
What many tourists don't realise: It is forbidden to eat on bridges, steps, footbridges, banks and pavements - as well as on the edges of fountains or monuments. Anyone who violates this rule must pay a fine of between 100 and 200 euros. In particularly serious cases, an immediate prohibition to stay (DASPO) can also be imposed, after which you must leave immediately.
Swimming prohibited
In Venice, swimming and jumping into the city's canals is strictly prohibited. Offences are punishable by a fine of 350 euros and can also result in an immediate ban from the city. Throwing litter on the streets is also penalised with a fine of 350 euros. Anyone walking around Venice in swimwear or topless will be fined up to 250 euros. Cycling is not allowed in Venice, and pushing bicycles is only permitted in certain areas. Offences: 100 euro fine. Anyone who camps or tents wildly in Venice must pay 200 euros. In addition, you may also be banned from the city.
Venice will cost 10 euros to enter in 2025
According to the German Economic Institute, there will be around 53.7 million tourist arrivals in 2023 for every 50,000 locals in the historic centre of Venice. That means 1,074 arrivals per resident. The fact that day visitors generally leave hardly any money behind is doubly difficult. This is why Venice has been charging admission to the historic city centre for the first time since 2024. In an eleven-day test phase at the end of April and beginning of May, almost one million euros were raised with 195,000 tickets sold. After that, Venice only charged admission at weekends in the first half of the year.
The system is currently being evaluated and adapted for 2025. The entrance fee is then to be increased to 10 euros. The turnstiles envisaged by the Venetian mayor are not to be erected: Local residents have put up a massive fight - turnstiles are otherwise only known from theme parks such as Disneyland...
