Italy travel: Venice to limit tourist groups

ROME –

Venice will limit the size of tourist parties to 25 people from Thursday in the latest attempt to reduce the impact of crowds on the lagoon city.

Local authorities will also ban the use of loudspeakers by tourist guides in measures aimed at “protecting the peace of residents” and ensuring pedestrians can move around more freely.

There will be fines ranging from 25-500 euros (US$27 to $541) for those who do not comply with these new measures, which were originally planned to take effect from June but were held over until the start of August.

The restrictions cover the city centre and also the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.