The maneuver also introduces a ticket to visit Venice for a fee: it may cost up to 10 euros

It was much talked about, and it finally arrived: the ticket to visit Venice for a fee was introduced with the 2019 maneuver passed Sunday night in the Senate. This is established by paragraph 1129 of the bill (which, we recall, must return to the House for final approval in order to get the final green light): “the municipality of Venice is authorized to apply, for access, by any carrier, to the Ancient City and the other minor islands of the lagoon, the fee referred to in Article 4, paragraph 3-bis, of Legislative Decree March 14, 2011, no. 23, alternatively to the tourist tax referred to in paragraph 1 of the same article, both up to the maximum amount referred to in Article 14, paragraph 16, letter e), of Decree-Law No. 78 of May 31, 2010, converted, with amendments, by Law No. 122 of July 30, 2010.”

Let’s see in detail who and how much will have to pay to visit Venice. Legislative Decree 23 of March 14, 2011, regulates, among other things, thetourist tax, and provides, in paragraph 3-bis of Article 4, that “municipalities that have legal headquarters in minor islands and municipalities in whose territory minor islands insist” (this is the case of Venice) may “establish [....], as an alternative to the tourist tax [...], a landing tax, to be levied up to a maximum of 1.50 euros, to be collected, together with the ticket price, by the shipping companies that provide scheduled maritime connections.” Excluded from the tax are residents, workers, commuter students, and members of households of individuals who are found to have paid municipal tax of their own and are equated with residents.

If the 2011 legislative decree, however, speaks of “shipping companies,” the maneuver goes further, because it extends the levy to “any carrier”: this means that even those arriving in Venice by train could be forced to pay to enter the city, and the Railways would be authorized to surcharge tickets for rides that end at Venice Santa Lucia station (and the same would apply to buses).

As for the maximum amount, the legislation refers to Decree-Law 78 of May 31, 2010, converted by Law 122 of July 30, 2010. Here, Paragraph 16 of Article 14 states that the maximum amount of the tourist tax, to be levied in proportion to the classification of accommodations, is 10 euros per person per night of stay. Of course, it is too early to make predictions at the moment, but by law a tourist visiting Venice during the day could also be required to pay a 10-euro fee.

The maneuver, it should be emphasized, does not oblige the City of Venice to introduce the ticket, but since one of the main supporters of such a measure has been the mayor of the lagoon city, Luigi Brugnaro, it is to be expected that Venice will soon enforce a ticket for visiting the historic center, the amount of which will probably vary depending on the high or low season. It will only be a matter of time.

Pictured: Venice, Piazza San Marco. Ph. Credit Finestre Sull’Arte

The maneuver also introduces a ticket to visit Venice for a fee: it may cost up to 10 euros

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