Why is the population decreasing in Venice?

Once the heart of a powerful maritime republic, Venice's main island has lost more than 120,000 residents since the early 1950s, driven away by myriad issues but mainly a focus on mass tourism that has caused the population to be dwarfed by the thousands of visitors who crowd its squares, bridges and narrow walkways ...



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The city, a Unesco World Heritage site, is often crammed with tourists in search of special memories. But for the people who actually live there, this level of tourism has become unsustainable. So from 2024, day-trippers will be charged a €5 (£4.31) fee as part of an attempt to better manage the flow of visitors.

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Venice is known for its maze-like canals, Renaissance buildings and gondola rides. But what makes this picturesque city so famous is under threat due to human-caused climate change.

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Venice has long been a city of trade and travelers, but Venetians now feel tourism is squeezing them out. The city is currently losing about 1,000 residents every year as the cost of housing rises and mass tourism poses a threat to food, culture and the Venetian way of life.

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Venice is so congested that it has become the embodiment of overtourism. Each year millions of tourists flock to this small city, home to a dwindling local population of 50,000, and the hordes in St. Mark's Square are legendary.

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Originally, it was thought that 5th century Venetians were forced to flee from the mainland because of conquerors and invaders. The idea was that building Venice on top of its lagoons provided protections that the original settlers sought after.

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10 Facts About Venice
  • Venice is known for its bridges. ...
  • Houses in Venice are numbered according to districts, not streets, making it difficult to find addresses, even for postmen. ...
  • There are about 350 gondolas and 400 gondolieri in Venice. ...
  • In 1608, the Council of Ten approved wearing masks only during the carnival.


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It was the greatest seaport in late medieval Europe and the continent's commercial and cultural link to Asia. Venice is unique environmentally, architecturally, and historically, and in its days as a republic the city was styled la serenissima (“the most serene” or “sublime”).

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Overtourism is a major issue here. Once a thriving city, home to a large and proud population of Venetians and visited by writers, intellectuals and artists hungry for culture, Venice is now swamped by day trippers, who far outnumber overnight visitors and local residents.

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