HOL'D ON
New strict tourist rules introduced in top European holiday spot – with caps on group size and unusual item ban
And the new fees you have to pay to access certain places - or risk fines of £250
STRICT new rules could affect your European city break this summer, with one destination in particular keen to reduce the number of tourists.
An average of around 25 million people visit the Italian city of Venice every single year, which local officials feel is far too many.
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Therefore they have imposed the new measurements, which will ban tour groups of more than 25 people.
Loudspeakers have also been banned in the city, because officials claim that they cause both "confusion and disturbances".
The new rules were brought in on Saturday, June 1 and are the latest in a string of attempts by the city to bring tourist numbers to a more manageable level.
Loudspeakers are often used by tour guides to communicate with their groups, who they lead through the narrow streets and bridges throughout the canal city.
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Those tour groups will no longer be able to exceed 25 people from now on, which it is hoped will reduce the number of people heading to the city each day.
The measures were first announced back in December with officials saying they wanted to improve life for residents in the city.
At that time, Simone Venturini, the city's councillor for tourism, said: "We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents.
"We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days."
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The new rules will also apply to the nearby islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello, which are easily reached by boat from Venice.
The new rules aren't the only thing Brits have to consider when visiting Venice after a day-tripper entry fee being trialled on selected dates throughout the summer.
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Visitors could be hit with a £250 fine if they don't pay the €5 (£4.30) entry fee on arrival.
Tourists paying the fee are given a code they can show inspectors on their phone after they get to the city, with violators risking fines of up to €300 (£256).
People arriving at the city’s mainline train and bus stations will find payment points that have been installed to enable them to pay.
After first being implemented on dates during both April and May, visitors will have to pay the fee on further dates in both June and July.
Everything you need to know about visiting Italy
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in 180 days.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance.
- Italy is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Italy from the UK take between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the destination.
Anyone heading to Venice on June 8–9, 15–16, 22–23, 29–30 and July 6–7 and 13–14 will be subject to the entry fee.
Tourists who stay overnight are exempt from the charge, as are students, commuters and residents' relatives.
Venturini said on the fees: "We are running TV ads to alert day trippers.
"We don't need to worry about visitors [from overseas] who will more likely sleep in the city."
Tourists will be able to see online how many bookings have been made on each day, which may persuade them to come on a less busy day, officials said.
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Meanwhile, this new rule means tourists can now be fined for buying souvenirs in Spain.
And this rule could see Brits fined as much as £9,000 abroad.
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