Can Venice save itself from its own popularity?

Can Venice save itself? Locals say it’s drowning – not under the rising waters of the Adriatic, but under a flood of tourism.

The 20th century brought the world’s most famous archipelago a new airport, a new cruise terminal and even new railway lines across the old bridge connecting Venice to the Italian mainland. The city now receives 30 million tourists a year; however, many residents claim this is more than it can cope with.

Back in 2015, the head of the Italian Environment Fund, Andrea Carandini, warned that Venice was being crushed by mass tourism.

“Venice now has 50,000 inhabitants – a third of what it did in the 18th century – and yet it receives 30 million tourists a year,” Carandini said.

Venice is working hard to cope with its runaway popularity.

MORE: Vietri sul Mare and the undiscovered Amalfi Coast

A better time to visit Venice?

Cruise ships can easily dwarf the tallest buildings in Venice.

In 2015, the islands voted to ban cruise ships sailing along Venice’s picturesque Giudecca Canal. The arrival of these massive tourist boats doesn’t just damage canals and their quaysides. Two or three cruise ships moored at any one time can mean in excess of 10,000 passengers disgorged into the narrow and squares of Venice.

However, just three months after it came into law, this move was overturned by the Regional Administrative Court on the mainland.

“A large number of people and politicians have tried to demand a ban on the passage of ships through the Giudecca Canal but it has never been accepted by the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale,” says Elena Scarpa, who runs Hotel Sant’Antonin in one of the quieter sestieri (neighborhoods) of Venice.

33 BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN ITALY: Civita di Bagnoregio, Viterbo: Civita was founded by the Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago and sits atop a rocky plateau overlooking the Tiber river valley in central Italy. The town is in constant danger of destruction by erosion and was placed on the World Monuments Watch list in 2006.

Colosseum, Rome: The awe-inspiring amphitheater echoes with ghosts of gladiators past, the roar of wild animals and the swash of sea battles, cheered on by up to 80,000 baying spectators. The arena, partly ruined by earthquake and robbers, is an enduring symbol of the Roman empire.

Florence: Captivating Florence is the capital of Tuscany and considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. The Duomo cathedral, dating back to the 13th century, is one of the highlights along with the ancient shop-clad Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence: The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is a Florence landmark, the only Arno River crossing to survive the retreating German army at the end of World War II. It's famous for the shops which line its span -- once butchers and fishmongers, now jewelers, art dealers and souvenir-sellers.

Duomo, Milan: The Duomo is Milan's gothic cathedral dedicated to St. Mary of the Nativity, which took nearly six centuries to build. It's the largest church in Italy (excluding St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City) and the fifth-biggest Christian church in the world.

Palermo: Ancient Palermo is the capital of Sicily and is noted for its culture, architecture and gastronomy. The port city, on Sicily's northwest coast, sits in a bowl surrounded by mountains and has long been a mix of European and Arab cultures.

Positano, Amalfi coastline: The Amalfi Coast is a sparkling jewel of Mediterranean beauty on a stretch of dramatic south-facing coastline between Salerno and Sorrento south of Naples. The gems of bougainvillea-clad Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, with vistas plunging into the deep blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea, earned the area UNESCO protection in 1997.

Trevi fountain, Rome: Legend has it that a coin thrown over the shoulder into Trevi fountain will ensure the visitor's return to Rome. Around 3,000 euros a day are tossed into the Baroque baths, retrieved nightly for charity. The travertine fountain, finished in 1762, stands at the end of the ancient Aqua Virgo aqueduct at the junction of three streets ("tre vie"), hence the name.

Tuscany: The region of Tuscany in central Italy evokes myriad images: of rolling hills, sleepy villages and dreamy vistas; earthy cooking and regional wines; Renaissance treasures such as the cities of Florence, and Pisa with its leaning tower. There's coastline and islands, too. Tuscany has its own riviera and hip beach resort of Tirrenia.

Venice: Iconic Venice in northeast Italy is one of the world's most picturesque towns, built over the shallow Venetian Lagoon on more than 100 islands separated by canals and joined by bridges. Known among other things as La Serenissima, which roughly means "most serene," Venice is a treasure trove for architecture buffs, gourmets, strolling lovers and gondola fans.

Matera, Basilicata: Matera is an ancient town in southern Italy known as the Subterannean City for the cave dwellings of its original inhabitants. Its historical center is the Sassi -- once an area of poverty but now rejuvenated to cash in on tourism.

Panarea, Aeolian Islands: Tiny Panarea is the jet-set favorite of the Aeolian Islands off the northeast coast of Sicily. Car-free whitewashed streets attract day-trippers, while yachts bob in the tiny harbor. It is a dreamy summer scene -- much is closed in winter.

Archaeological Park Neapolis, Syracuse: The park holds the most important ruins of the ancient Greek Roman city of Syracuse, with highlights including the Latomia del Paradiso (Paradise Quarry), the fifth century BC Greek Theater hewn into the rockside, and the Roman amphitheater.

Salina, Aeolian Islands, Sicily: Salina is the second-largest and the greenest island of the Aeolian archipelago off northeast Sicily. It's made up of two principal volcanoes Monte dei Porri (860 meters) and Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 meters), both long since extinct. Its steep verdant slopes are famous for grapes, olives and capers, while the port of Santa Marina Salina offers a focal spot for tourists.

The Faraglioni of Capri, Napoli: The island of Capri off the end of the Sorrento peninsula south of Naples conjures images of the perfect Mediterranean idyll, of plunging sea views, picturesque piazzas and spilling bougainvilleas. It has been a jet-set and Hollywood favorite for decades and designer boutiques and chi-chi cafes hide more unspoilt charms. The faraglioni are three rock formations created by erosion off the coast.

Blue Grotto, Capri: The Blue Grotto is a sea cave off the northwest coast of Capri, where sunlight illuminates the space with an azure hue. The entrance is less than a meter high, just enough for a small rowboat and its prone passengers to glide through.

Cala Sabina, Asinara: Asinara is a virtually uninhabited island off the northwest tip of Sardinia measuring 52 square kilometers. It's hilly, rocky and barren, and designated a nature reserve, inhabited by wild albino donkeys. In the past it has been a leper colony and a high-security prison, but is now open to tourists attracted by its unique setting and coves of azure water such as Cala Sabina.

Lake Iseo, Lombardy: Smaller, quieter and arguably more charming than its more famous cousins Lake Como and Lake Garda -- and sandwiched between them -- Lake Iseo is a unsung gem of northern Italy.

The Langhe, Piedmont: The Langhe is a rolling region in the Piedmont region in the far northwest of Italy. It is famous for its wines, cheeses and truffles, especially the famous winter white truffles from the hills around Alba, southeast of Turin. The region's wine-making culture led to it joining UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2014.

Cascata delle Marmore, Terni: The Cascata delle Marmore is a man-made waterfall created by the Romans near the town of Terni in Umbria, central Italy. It's 165 meters high with three separate falls, the biggest of which is 83 meters. The water, which originally comes from the River Velino, normally flows into a hydroelectric power plant, but at certain times every day it is diverted down the falls, to the delight of paying tourists.

Val d'Orcia, Tuscany: This enchanting area of Tuscany is a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site for its rolling hills, vineyards, the lush valley of the Orcia River, and picturesque towns like Pienza and Castiglione d'Orcia with its hilltop fortress.

Ponza isle, Pontine Islands archipelago: The Pontine Islands lie in the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Naples. They comprise Ponza, the main island, along with Palmarola, Zannone and Gavi, plus Ventotene and Santo Stefano to the southeast, closer to the mainland. Stunning natural scenery, secluded beaches and island chic make these popular but unspoilt tourist spots.

Treviso, Veneto: Canals, cobbled streets, medieval city walls, frescoed churches -- it could be Venice just down the road, but Treviso is more than just a gateway to La Serenissima. This hidden gem makes it worth resisting Venice's siren call for a day or two.

Mount Etna, Sicily: Mount Etna towers over the cities of Messina and Catania in the far east of Sicily and is the highest active volcano in Europe. At 3,329 meters it is also the tallest peak in Italy south of the Alps. Because Etna is in an almost constant state of activity its fertile volcanic soils support abundant agriculture and viticulture on its lower flanks.

Circeo National Park, Latina: The limestone massif of Mount Circeo (541 meters) sits on a promontory about 100 kilometers southeast of Rome. It gives its name to the National Park which takes in the coastal strip from Anzio to Terracina and includes the "orgy" island of Zannone.

Cetona, Siena, Tuscany: Cetona is a beautiful ancient hilltop town in southern Tuscany featuring narrow paved streets, a splendid square in Piazza Garibaldi and a slower pace of life. The surrounding countryside is known for its high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Mount Soratte and Tiber Valley, Rome: Monte Soratte is a soaring limestone ridge north of Rome dominating the Tiber River valley. It's 5.5 kilometers long with six main peaks, reaching 691 meters at its high point. The Tiber is the third-longest river in Italy, rising on Monte Fumaiolo in the Apennines and flowing southeast to reach the sea at Ostia. Rome was founded on its banks.

Vulcano, Aeolian Islands: Vulcano Island is the southernmost island of the Aeolian chain in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the northeast coast of Sicily. The most recent volcanic activity came from its central Fossa cone in 1890. The eight Aeolian Islands -- Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basiluzzo -- are named after a mythological figure, Aeolus.

Bolzano, South Tyrol: Bolzano is the capital city of the Alto Adige (Italian for South Tyrol) in northern Italy. It sits in a broad valley surrounded by hills and vineyards and is the gateway to the Dolomites. Near the German border and once part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Bolzano is a blend of northern and southern European cultures.

Selinunte Archaeological Park, Sicily: A stroll down through the ancient Greek city of Selinunte on the southwest coast of Sicily gives a vivid impression of a mighty former civilization with five temples, including the impressive Temple of Hera, strung down a rocky ridge overlooking the sea.

The Dolomites: The Dolomites is a dramatic mountain range in northeast Italy popular for snow sports in the winter and climbing and hiking in the summer. The highest peak is the 3,343-meter Marmolada. The range was on the front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces in World War I and witnessed brutal fighting.

Grotta Gigante, Trieste: Grotta Gigante is a huge cave open to tourists just north of Trieste in northeast Italy near the Slovenia border. Its central chamber measures 107 meters high, 130 meters long and 65 meters wide and is thick with stalactites and stalagmites. The cave was first explored in 1840 and first opened to the public in 1908.

Greek Theater of Taormina, Sicily: Taormina is a tourist hotspot on Sicily's east coast, famed for its mountainside setting in the shadow of Mount Etna, breathtaking sea views, Greek and Roman history, plus top-notch beaches, wining and dining.

33 beautiful photos of Italy

Prev Next

Earlier this year Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro proposed a ticketing system for access to the area around Piazza San Marco. This, the main square of Venice, was dubbed by Napoleon “the drawing room of Europe” and contains many of its most famous sights.

While the city council approved the measure in May 2017, it’s not proved popular with locals. Cristiano Fortuna, general manager of L’Orologio Hotel on the Grand Canal, thinks ticketing is impractical.

“It’s not a good idea for either visitors or residents,” she says. “Perhaps more effective than a restriction plan would be encouraging visitors to come to Venice on weekdays. And in the period from October to April.

“Overcrowding is particularly bad on weekends from May to September. And we should come to an agreement with the cruise companies to bring ships in on all days of the week, not just weekends.”

READ: 10 things Italy does better than anywhere else

Queues of visitors

Venice may be drowned under a flood of tourism faster than the rising waters.

Mayor Brugnaro has also proposed luring tourists away from specific areas that get too many visitors.

An example is Riva degli Schiavoni, the historic quayside on which foreign travelers to Venice arrived before the railway bridge was built in 1846. It can be solid with visitors in the summer with long queues of people waiting to cross its bridges.

There are six sestieri in Venice, but most tourists never see Castello and Cannareggio, which contain some of the most beautiful churches in the archipelago.

In another move, proposed this June, Councillor Massimiliano De Martin, assessor of the commune of Venice, has suggested a ban on any new hotels being created out of Venice’s dwindling housing stock. Islanders have become used to seeing their homes being sold off to be converted into restaurants and hotels.

In recent years JW Marriott turned the whole of Isola delle Rose into a resort hotel, the Bauer group has converted a convent into the new Bauer Palladio Hotel and Spa and Aman Resorts took over Palazzo Papadopoli to make a new hotel (where George Clooney held his wedding reception) on the Grand Canal.

“Living in Venice is becoming more and more difficult,” says Scarpa. “Shops such as grocery stores, butchers, bakeries and book shops are closing to leave space for souvenir shops, and for this reason Venice is becoming more and more expensive.”

Part of the problem is that maintaining one of the most beautiful historic cities in the world is a very expensive business.

A section of the Doge’s Palace was covered with a large Bulgari hoarding for several years to raise money for the restoration. This year, the romantic Rialto Bridge is obscured by adverts for Diesel because Renzo Rosso, the man behind the clothing empire, is financing its repair.

Preserving the real Venice

Venice needs its tourist income if it’s to survive and those visitors don’t want the city falling apart in front of them.

For Jonathan Keates, chairman of the British charity Venice in Peril, the aim must be to preserve Venice as a place of great beauty where real people still live.

“The plan should be to manage tourism, impose higher tourist taxes, introduce tax breaks for small businesses and favor affordable housing,” says Keates. “Venice needs the feet of residents on the ground, children playing in the campi, old codgers on benches – a proper Italian city as we know it.”

How best to preserve Venice will be discussed in July by the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee. Nonetheless, the city will vote to stop the mainland having a say in what happens on the islands in October 2017.

So it may be Venetians who end up saving the Floating City in the long run.

MORE: 33 beautiful reasons to visit Italy

Adrian Mourby is an Oxford, UK-based novelist and broadcaster.