A travel journalist visiting Venice for the first time narrowly avoided a fine of up to €200 (£173.48) after unknowingly breaking a city rule against sitting on steps while eating. Joey Handler, a journalist for Business Insider, recounted the incident during a six-day trip to Italy in October 2022.
Gelato Incident in Venice
Handler had just finished a walking tour and sought refuge from the heat with a gelato. Unable to find a seat at crowded restaurants, she sat on a shaded step to enjoy her treat. As she raised the ice cream to her lips, nearby authorities gestured for her to stand up. She later learned that sitting on steps, banks, monuments, bridges, or high-water walkways while consuming food or drink is prohibited in Venice, with fines ranging from €100 to €200 (£86.74 to £173.48).
The City of Venice's regulations state: "Do not consume food and drink sitting on the ground, do not sit or lie down on banks and foundations, monuments, bridges, steps, puteals and high-water walkways. Fine: 100 to 200 euros DASPO - Urban banning order (offenders will be immediately banned from the place where the offence was committed)."
Why the Rules Exist
These rules, which also ban swimming in canals, dumping rubbish, walking in swimsuits, feeding pigeons and seagulls, cycling, and bivouacking in public areas, are designed to preserve urban cleanliness, landscape, safety, and public hygiene. Violations can result in administrative fines from €25 to €500, according to the Venice City Council Municipal Police.
Handler expressed regret over the incident, noting it was one of five regrets from her two-week European trip. She emphasized that tourists should familiarize themselves with local ordinances to avoid unexpected penalties.
Venice's Entrance Fee
In addition to behavioral fines, Venice introduced an entrance fee in 2024 for day-trippers, initially €5 (£4.34) on peak days between April and July. The fee has since been expanded. New mayor Simone Venturini has proposed increasing it to €30-€50 (£26-£43.37), citing the need to manage overtourism. He told Corriere della Sera: "If today it ranges from €5 to €10, my proposal is to increase it to €30 to €50."
However, the plan has drawn criticism. Former mayor Massimo Cacciari called for its abolition, stating: "There is no other city in Italy or Europe where you have to enter with a ticket, as though it was a museum. It is barbarous, uncivilised and, in my opinion, against the constitution. It is simply obscene. I thought that Venturini would be more intelligent than his predecessor and would scrap the fee."
