Access rules in the crowded places

Venice charges nothing to enter, as of September 1, 2026

The 2026 trial of the access fee ran from April 3 to July 26, 2026 over 60 non consecutive days, and the council declared it concluded: since July 27, 2026 no payment is due and no exemption code is needed. Bringing it back in 2027 requires a new resolution by the city government.

When it did apply, the fee was 5 euro per person if paid by the fourth day before arrival and 10 euro in the three days before, for day visitors entering the old city between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. It never applied to people sleeping in the city, and it never applied to the minor islands.

Check the date on anything you read about this. It is the single most common error in English language content about Venice.

The cruise ship ban that moved the ships, not the passengers

Since August 1, 2021 ships above 25,000⁴ gross tons, or with a hull longer than 180⁴ m, or an air draught over 35 m, have been banned from the St Mark's basin, the St Mark's canal and the Giudecca canal, which were declared a national monument. Fuel sulphur is capped at 0.1%.

The ships did not disappear. At least 4 temporary berths were opened at Marghera, on the mainland side of the lagoon, so the same passengers arrive by coach or shuttle instead of stepping off at the Zattere.

Trevi Fountain: 2 euro for the basin

Since February 2, 2026 the basin area of the Trevi Fountain has been a paid area for visitors and non residents: 2 euro, open 9:00 am to 10:00 pm, and 11:30 am to 10:00 pm on Mondays and Fridays, with last entry at 9:00 pm. Rome residents with ID, children under 6, disabled visitors with a companion and licensed guides go free.

Tickets are sold on the city's own site, at civic museums, tourist information points and authorized outlets, and on the spot by card only. The trial year counted over 10 million visitors, with 30,000⁵ arrivals on an average day and peaks of 70,000⁵. After 10:00 pm the fountain is free and visible as before, which is the practical answer for most travelers, and the Trevi page has the detail.

Florence: the rules changed for the beds, not the visitors

Florence banned new short term tourist lets in the UNESCO core, zone A1, from May 31, 2025, and on June 4, 2026 the council extended limits to zones A3 and A4, which include Campo di Marte, San Jacopino, Gavinana and Rifredi. New lets need at least 28 sq m, the authorization lasts 5 years, and fines run from 1,000⁶ to 10,000⁶ euro.

Owners who keep their residence in the property are exempt, and lets already registered carry on. The measure is under administrative challenge, so it may change again.

Cinque Terre and the capped beaches

For 2026 the Cinque Terre national park cut the Cinque Terre Card to 2 types, Treno and Trekking, dropped the Plus category and included the Via dell'Amore in both, with new prices from March 2026. The Manarola to Corniglia section of the Sentiero Verde Azzurro is closed, so check the trail status before you buy.

La Pelosa in Sardinia caps entry at 1,500⁸ people a day at 3.50 euro from May 15 to October 15, 2026. More capped sites, with their release mechanisms, are on the caps page and the Cinque Terre Card page.

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