Italy travel is on the rise and Venice is a favorite travel destination. Its beloved nickname of La Serenissima, seems to be going by the wayside though, as the city becomes congested with tourists.
Venice is one of my favorite places in Italy, and there is no place else like it. I can’t help wanting to return again and again. I like to explore the small alleys and discover places not mentioned in the tour guides.
It was recently reported in The Telegraph, authorities in Venice are giving serious consideration to capping the number of tourists who enter the city center.
On any typical day, Venice handles an influx of 70,000 tourists, contributing to crowded waterways and pedestrian alleys. Most are cruise ship passengers and day trippers. Venice’s residential population is only a little over 53,000.
“In July, the United Nations warned that Venice will be placed on Unesco’s list of endangered heritage sites if Italy fails to ban giant cruise ships from the city’s lagoon by 2017.” It remains a hotly debated issue, and will be decided at the July 2017 meeting in Poland.
Venice’s main attractions are not to be missed but there is so much more to this city, including the local residents who have built businesses here over the generations.
I’ve been fortunate to have met some of them, like Marco Jovan, a jeweler of hand-crafted cameos. His shop is on the famous but crowded Rialto Bridge.
Or this friendly shop owner near Piazza san Marco
Enjoy my photo collage from Venice…some famous and some not so famous scenes.
Have you been to Venice? What are your thoughts about the overcrowding problems facing this Italian travel destination? I’d love to hear them, so please leave a comment.
Grazie and Ciao
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margieinitaly 
Venice is just 4 kms long by 2.8km north/south and it sees 30m of tourists every year. Something MUST be done. Mass tourism is dangerous in a reality like Venice and I know several Venetian people who had to flee the city, because it’s just not possible to live there anymore. This makes me so sad. I know several tourists complain about the rudeness of Venetian people, but, honestly, locals have to witness to mass tourists making a mess of the city everyday (camping on their door steps, roaming around naked (!) or in a swimsuit and even jumping in the lagoon with surfboards…and let’s not talk about those damn locks ) and I can understand their level of exhaustion. They also have to pay for all the garbage which is produced by daytrippers who do not spend a cent in the city. I don’t think this is right 😦
I think a good thing would be putting a stop to those cruise ships.
I love your photos ❤ And I love seeing those artists painting 😍
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Those Damn locks are getting everywhere so annoying. And makes people angry.
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Yes Annie…I see those locks in almost every city…I understand they are in other countries in Europe as well.
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I know! The hysteria started in Rome and now it’s spreading everywhere, like the plague 😠
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Thanks so much, Sara…Even though I have been a passenger on those cruise ships, I would support a ban on the large ones coming into the Venetian lagoon. I agree with all your points, and I know that the resident population has decreased every year…Thank you for your perspective as someone living there…
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There’s nothing wrong with cruise ships, but I do think they are dangerous for the Venetian lagoon and they don’t represent an income for the city as the cruise passengers only pass through Piazza San Marco and they don’t buy anything 😦
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I note your comment reference mass tourism and I have lived in cities where there is such and yes the local council and its people probably pick up the bill. Most visitors don’t spend £ or € as that is the nature of being a very fleeting visitor. If somewhere becomes well known destination (Oxford and Windsor) then that is the casualty fallout I’m afraid. And incidentally I’ve lived (and paid!) in both those places. It happens the world over. Dubrovnik the same; many cruise ships and many tourists.
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Yes, you’re right…this surely happens the world over and I think it’s one of the consequences of mass tourism. The problem in Venice, though, is that Venetian people are already paying higher prices for basically everything (they’re on an island, even if well connected, so they must import lots of items that will be overpriced for the shipping fees…and let’s not talk about the prices of the homes, taxes, public trasportation etc.). I’m aware that all over the world there are cities which are expensive, but in Venice the situation is even more complicated. Venetian people have to pay higher prices + living there is hard, because of the poor administration of the city, acqua alta (high-water), the inability to move around the city because there are just hordes of tourists to be avoided and sometimes they even have to protect their properties from uncivil tourists who think they are in a themed park
So, I honestly think we are asking too much from Venetian people…
And for Venice and all the other cities affected in a negative way by mass tourism, I think it’s time for all of us to re-think our way to be tourists and be more responsible when traveling.
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Great photography, Margie! Seeing Venice through your eyes is like visiting all over again! Lois
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Thank you very much Lois…You are very kind….
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I have not been to Venezia in 23 years. Definitely due for a return visit. The answer is simple. Venezia can not handle cruise ship traffic. They need to be banned! Ciao, Cristina
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Agree Cristina…Hope you get there soon, my friend. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Margie:
You have certainly managed to get into the byways of Venice. Thanks for sending your photos; they are great and unique.
Anne
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Thanks you very much Anne….So glad you enjoyed the photos from Venice!!
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Love these photos. I have only been to Venice one time, on my first trip to Italy 30+ years ago. It wasn’t my favorite and I haven’t returned –even when my kids really wanted to see it. But reading all the wonderful posts on the blog-o-sphere is changing my mind!
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Thanks Stacy….I hope you return because Venice is really very cool…Thanks for commenting!
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I love Venice so much! You are correct, Margie, there is no place like it in the world. I feel those enormous cruise ships, rumbling by so close, may be causing the problem (Venice is sinking). There are actually fewer people living in Venice now than a few years ago. I would hate to see visitors limited, but do wish the cruise ships were made to keep their distance. I understand they pay a fortune to come close!
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PS. I visited last summer and enjoyed exploring the tiny walkways early in the morning, before the crowds formed. We found a lovely small cafe in a tiny alley & enjoyed a coffee there. The locals were out & about and very friendly!
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Hi Victoria…Thanks so much….I also love wandering the small alleyways in Venice…So glad you were able to enjoy those amazing places…In found most of the locals to be friendly as well…A few around the touristy Rialto Bridge area were somewhat rude.
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I’m ok with restricting the large cruise ships from entering the lagoon…Recently the Cinque Terre area placed restrictions on tourist numbers because that fragile area was being overrun….so I can understand..Venice is fragile to be sure.
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Hi . I came over from your Page on Instagram. Great post. I agree with capping the number of tourists and stopping those huge liners invading the waters of Venice. I have a good friend that lives there. A blogger friend who I have yet to meet also not been to Venice. But read and seen so much of it. I prefer the slightly non tourist places. Of course there are some you have to see!! One day.
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Hi Annie…Thanks so much for stopping by my Instagram page and now my blog!!! Welcome! I agree that Venice is special and if they need to restrict tourist numbers, and for sure the huge ocean liners from entering the lagoon, in order to preserve the city, then it’s a good idea. I hope you will be able to visit this special place soon!!! Grazie
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Thanks for stopping by Annie..Instagram is great too, isn’t it…Glad to connect
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I’ve only been to Venice once this past September 2016. I fell in love with this city. Stayed 2 nights. Would definitely return. We walked and walked. So fun getting lost! I really don’t have an opinion yet. But if the cruise ships are creating problems then they should not be allowed to dock in Venice.
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Thank you so much Sarah…I understand how you fell in love with Venice in 2 days…I hope you definitely make it back… Stay tuned for more cruise ship updates…it seems to change every few months.
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Thanks Sandra…Hope you can get back to Venice one day soon.
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such a beautiful city! definitely will visit again – check out the photos i captured in venice in my latest blog post http://www.ellierochax.com Did you get a chance to visit Lido by any chance? x
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