First day of testing, today 25 April, of the ticket for Venice. Approximately 110 thousand visitors to the city, with 15 thousand tourists who booked and paid the 5 euro contribution. But there were moments of tension due to protests by citizen committees against the measure.
The demonstrators behind a banner reading ‘No to tickets, Yes to homes and services for all’ blocked the cars on the Liberty bridge and then headed towards Piazzale Roma and entered through the access to the Papadopoli gardens. Some held up their passports in anger that the lagoon city had been placed behind a theme park-style barrier. “More homes for residents, so Venice is Disneyland”, some of the slogans.
“I can tell you that almost the entire city is against it,” said Matteo Secchi, director of Venessia.com, a citizen activist group. “You cannot impose an entrance fee into a city; they’re just turning it into a theme park. This is a bad image of Venice… I mean, are we kidding?”
Many foreign journalists present were intrigued by the experimentation launched by the city. Tourism councilor Simone Venturini declares himself satisfied “with the collaborative attitude of the tourists themselves who are the first to have understood the spirit of our initiative”.
Here’s how the ticket works
The entrance ticket, required only for access to the historic center of Venice, can be booked online and will be applied on 29 peak days, mainly weekends, from today 25 April until 14 July as part of the trial phase . Residents, commuters, students and children under 14 are exempt, as are tourists staying overnight.
Tourists, however, will have to purchase the ticket online and will then be provided with a QR code. Those without one will be able to purchase tickets on arrival, with the help of local stewards, who will also carry out random checks at five main arrival points, including the Santa Lucia train station. Anyone without a ticket risks a fine of 50 to 300 euros
