This Italian City Is Cracking Down on Tourist Crowds

Residents of Venice, Italy have reached a breaking point—they’re fed up with the hordes of tourists that descend on their city every year. In an effort to prevent overtourism, the city is introducing new rules to crack down on the crowds of visitors. 

Effective immediately, tour groups will be limited to 25 people (not including children up to two years of age). The maximum group size rule is waived for students or those on an educational trip. 

Additionally, tour guides will be banned from using loudspeakers in an effort to keep Venice more peaceful for residents.

Tourist restrictions will apply in Venice’s city center and to the nearby islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Groups violating these new rules will be fined 25-500 euros ($27-541). 

These measures are part of an ongoing war in Venice to fight overtourism. Earlier this year, the city experimented with a tourist fee in an attempt to limit crowds. On peak days between April and mid-July, day-trippers were charged 5 euros per person. Although the city collected over 2 million euros from the fee, it did little to curb tourist numbers.

In 2021, Venice banned large cruise ships from docking in the city center.