Tourist tax in Venice. Photo: RaffMaster / Shutterstock More and more European cities, known as powerful magnets for visitors, have already implemented or are considering tourist taxes to fund local investments.
Romania’s capital, Bucharest, has recently joined cities such as Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona in imposing a controversial tourist tax of 10 RON (2 EUR) at the start of the year, with possible amendments underway to introduce graduated pricing based on the type and nature of the chosen accommodation unit.
The city of London is also considering a tourist tax on overnight visitors, which, supporters claim, would raise over £350 million (405 EUR) a year.
Starting February 2, tourists visiting the famous Fontana di Trevi in Rome (Trevi Fountain) will also be required to pay a €2 entrance fee.
Venice also introduced an access fee for day-trippers in 2024, and it has not abolished it ever since. If you are planning a trip to Venice in 2026, you should be up-to-date with the city’s latest Access Fee information. The rules are specific, and timing matters just as much as where you go.
The fee itself depends on how early you pay. If you reserve and pay by the fourth day before your visit, the cost is €5 per person. If you pay from three days before your visit onward, the price rises to €10. For example, entering Venice on a Sunday costs €5 if paid by Wednesday, and €10 if paid from Thursday onward. There are no discounts, and the amount is the same for everyone.
Venice. Photo: kavalenkau / ShutterstockThe Access Fee is due between 8:30 and 16:00 on 60 specific days in 2026. These are:
• April: 3 to 6, 10 to 12, 17 to 19, and 24 to 30
• May: 1 to 3, 8 to 10, 15 to 17, 22 to 24, and 29 to 31
• June: 1 to 7, 12 to 14, 19 to 21, and 26 to 28
• July: 3 to 5, 10 to 12, 17 to 19, and 24 to 26
If you are visiting on one of these dates, the process is simple. First, check whether you qualify for an exemption. If not, pay the fee and obtain your access code. You must carry that code with you while in Venice. Payment can be made online, via WhatsApp using a QR code, or in person at PUNTO LIS tobacconists.
On certain days and during set hours, an Access Fee applies to anyone entering Venice’s Ancient City. This applies broadly, but there are several important exceptions:
- You will not be charged if you only pass through transit areas such as Ponte della Libertà, Stazione Marittima, or Isola Nova del Tronchetto, provided you do not continue into the historic center.
- You will not be charged if you only enter Ponte della Libertà, Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia train station, or the areas directly connected to Piazzale Roma and San Basilio station.
- If you are arriving, departing, or changing transport without heading into the old city, the fee does not apply.
- For the whole of 2026, the Access Fee will also not be charged on the minor islands of the Venice lagoon (Lido di Venezia, Pellestrina, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Vignole, La Certosa, San Servolo, and several smaller islands).
- The Access Fee will not apply in the area facing the landing stages used by large cruise ships at Riva degli Schiavoni.