Attention travelers to Venice, the 'City of Lovers': New rules introduced

New rules have been introduced in Venice, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Tourist groups will now be limited to 25 people, and loudspeakers will be banned. UNESCO experts also warned last year that Venice could be added to the list of World Heritage in Danger due to the impact of climate change and mass tourism.

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Attention travelers to Venice, the 'City of Lovers': New rules introduced

Tourist overcrowding had become one of the most significant problems for Venice, which has a population of approximately 250,000 and welcomed more than 13 million visitors in 2019.

Although visitor numbers dropped, especially with the pandemic, this number is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in the coming years.

While the canals in Venice's historic district make the city one of the most visited places in Europe, the influx of tourists negatively affects the city and its residents.

For this reason, after banning cruise ships from docking for the first time in 2021, Venice also introduced a daily entry fee of 5 Euros earlier this year.

Now, a new one has been added to these measures.

UPDATE ON TOUR GROUP SIZES

New rules banning loudspeakers and limiting tour group sizes to 25 people have come into effect in Venice.

Ocio, an association that monitors housing in the city, stated in a recent update that there are approximately 49,000 beds available for tourists to rent in the historic neighborhood, a figure that is higher than the current number of residents.

WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER

UNESCO experts also warned last year that Venice could be added to the list of World Heritage in Danger due to the impact of climate change and mass tourism.

ABOUT VENICE

Venice is built on 118 islands separated by canals and linked by bridges in northeastern Italy. The city is located in the Venetian Lagoon, which stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers. Venice is renowned for its natural beauty, architecture, and artworks. The city in its entirety, including its lagoon, is listed as a World Heritage site.

Venice is the capital of the Veneto region. In 2009, 270,098 people lived in the commune of Venice. (Of this population, 60,000 are in the historic city of Venice, 176,000 in the cities of Mestre and Marghera, and 31,000 on other islands in the lagoon.)

The Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area (PATREVE), formed together with the cities of Padua and Treviso, has a total population of 1,600,000. PATREVE is merely a statistical area without any autonomy.

The name Venice comes from the Veneti people who lived here in the 10th century BC. The city was also formerly the capital of the Republic of Venice. Venice is known as "La Dominante", "Serenissima", "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "The Floating City", and "City of Canals". Luigi Barzini described Venice in The New York Times as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man," and The Times Online described it as "Europe's most romantic city."

The Republic of Venice was the most important maritime power during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as well as a center of art and commerce from the 13th century to the end of the 17th century.

Throughout its history, especially during the Renaissance, there have been many artistic movements. Venice has played an important role in the development of symphonic music and opera throughout its history, and it is also the city where Antonio Vivaldi was born.

News Source: 12punto