What’s New in Italy

If you’re considering a trip to Italy soon, it would be important to know what might have changed and what’s new. So these are some of the latest rules instituted in the last year or coming year.

VENICE
The cost of almost everything has significantly increased over the past year or two, and Venice is no exception. One of the most iconic things a traveler would like to do in Venice is to take a gondola ride. According to Visit Venice, the latest rates of a gondola ride depend on the time of the ride.
Gondola Rates Daily Schedule:
From 9:00 to 19:00: €90 for 30 minutes + €40 extra for each additional 20 minutes.
During peak tourist periods, if you want to book your gondola in advance, the price is €140 for 30 minutes (link above).
Gondola Rates Night Schedule:
From 19:00 to 3:00: €110 for 35 minutes + €50 extra for each additional 20 minutes.

CINQUE TERRE
To improve sustainability and address over tourism the Cinque Terre has instituted new rules beginning January 2027.
Independent travelers will not be affected, but organized tour groups will be limited to 25 people. For groups of more than ten participants, radio earpieces will be required, and tour guides must reroute itineraries to avoid restricted lanes. The new no-stopping rule prohibits tour groups from lingering at certain locations, such as the square in front of the Riomaggiore train station. Megaphones and loudspeakers are also totally banned.
Individual villages began to institute certain laws last year, but now, the entire region has taken a united front to combat overcrowding, especially in the summer months.
Although not new, wearing flip-flops or sandals on hiking trails has been banned since 2019, but now will come with the enforcement of fines up to €2,500 (about $2,900).

ROME
Due to overcrowding, in February 2026, Rome’s Trevi Fountain began charging €2 per person to enter the inner area of the Trevi Fountain. This applies only to the lower section near to the water, where visitors gather for selfies and to toss a coin into the fountain. Visitors with disabilities and their companions, residents, and young children are exempt.

CAPRI
According to Euronews, the island of Capri receives up to 50,000 visitors a day during peak season. This number far exceeds the resident population of roughly 13,000 to 15,000.The island is small, encompassing only 10,4 sq.kilometers, or 4 sq. miles.

Instituted earlier this summer (2026), regulations are in place that cap organized tour groups to 40 persons, and guides leading groups larger than 20 must utilize headsets instead of loudspeakers. Also flags and umbrellas are a no-no.

Italy is one of most desired travel destinations in the world, and it’s easy to understand why. However, the local cities and towns face growing problems as a result of this mass travel and overcrowding. They are gradually implementing measures to curb some it by focusing on sustainability. We need to understand the significance of sustainable travel and do our part.

What are your thoughts?? I’d love to hear them, so please leave a comment.

Grazie and Ciao

For more about this two-week trip in Italy with my granddaughters, check out my latest Italy travel memoir, ITALY AT EIGHTEEN.

“The author tells us about the importance of being adaptable while preparing for a trip abroad. She urges us to be patient when we are rescheduling tours or reservations. Everything is possible for a determined traveler with an open heart. I appreciated Margie’s practical recommendations and vivid descriptions of the places she and her granddaughters visited in beautiful Italy.” ~ 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite

Published March 3, 2024, this travelogue memoir is available in paperback and kindle and audiobook.

Click to purchase on Amazon

Click to purchase on Audible