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Planning a trip to Venice, Italy in 2024? These are the most important things travelers need to know before visiting Venice this year!
Venice is one of the most iconic cities in Europe. It’s a bucket list destination for many travelers who dream of seeing the city’s many canals and bridges — of which there are 150 and 435, respectively.
In addition to being one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe, Venice is unfortunately also one of the most overcrowded. The city has been suffering from overtourism for years, and several measures are finally going into place in 2024 to combat this.
Here are the most important things travelers should know before visiting Venice this year:
Venice Is Finally Implementing A Day Tripper Fee
Although it was announced several years ago, Venice’s so-called “day tripper tax” has never actually been implemented — until now, that is.
Beginning in April, the city of Venice will implement a €5 fee ($5.45) on 29 select dates from April through July. This fee will be charged to visitors who are only in the city for a day, such as cruise tourists and day trippers. It will apply on most weekends and other peak travel dates.
Visitors will have to pre-book a ticket online and show a QR code at certain entry points around the city. The goal of this effort is to limit overcrowding, although it’s still on a trial basis.
Tour Groups Of Over 25 People Have Been Banned
Another recent update tourists should be aware of is the ban on tour groups of over 25 people in Venice. This new rule will go into effect in June.
It’s designed to alleviate large crowds, which may cause blockages and human “traffic jams” on the pedestrian-only streets of Venice.
Additionally, the use of loudspeakers will be banned in Venice. Many tour guides use loudspeakers while walking through the streets of Venice, but it causes a major noise disturbance.
These are just some of the latest changes, much like banning large cruise ships from entering the center of Venice, that are designed to protect the city from the effects of overtourism.
Off Season Is The Best Time To Travel
Based on all the drawbacks of traveling to Venice, such as massive crowds and sky-high prices, you might think you’re better off not visiting Venice at all in 2024.
However, my recommendation is actually to travel during the off-season.
Three of my four trips to Venice have been during the off season, including my latest visit in November 2023. And this is by far the best time to experience Venice as it should be experienced! From October through March, you can enjoy low crowds and lower prices in Venice.
Although it can be a bit chilly at this time of year, it’s much better than visiting Venice during the summertime when sweltering heat combined with crowds makes walking around nearly unbearable.
The only thing to watch out for when visiting Venice during the off season is the acqua alta — high tide that occasionally occurs during the winter and causes the lowest points of the city to become flooded.
During the acqua alta, the city installs temporary raised walkways over flooded areas, and you can purchase knee-high plastic shoe coverings to stay dry.
But Be Careful Of Visiting Venice In February
The only exception to the low crowds and low prices of Venice in the off season? Carnivale during February! Although experiencing Carnivale is a bucket list experience for many travelers, it’s not for the faint of heart. The city becomes absolutely packed and prices for hotels are exorbitant.
This year, the festival will take place from February 3 to February 13, although there will be some pre-Carnivale festivities happening the week before too.
If you want to save money and avoid crowds, this is NOT the time to visit Venice. But if you want to experience a festival unlike any other in the world, visit Venice during Carnivale!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com