Venice is taking steps to limit the impact of tourist crowds on the lagoon city. Starting Thursday, the city will cap the size of tourist parties at 25 people. This move is aimed at protecting the peace of residents and ensuring pedestrian movement is not hindered.
Alongside this restriction, local authorities are also banning the use of loudspeakers by tourist guides. These measures, which were initially planned for June but delayed until August, apply to the city center and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
Those who fail to comply with these new rules face fines ranging from €25 to €500.
This action follows an earlier experiment in April, where Venice became the first city in the world to introduce a payment system for visitors. This pilot scheme, which was closely monitored by other European tourist hotspots, aimed to discourage daytrippers from visiting during peak periods. The scheme ran for 29 days and ended in July, paving the way for consultations on its future implementation.
There are exemptions to the rules on tourist parties. Children under two years of age are not included in the count, and the limitation is waived for visiting students or those on educational trips.
