Venice Residents Protest over Tourist Entrance Fee Charges

April 25 has long been a historic day in Venice: not only is it the day of the Liberation of Italy, but also the feast of the city's patron saint, St. Mark.

But now Venice has another dose of history since last April 25: it was the day the city became the first city in the world to charge tourists an entrance fee.

Protests erupted on the eve, with Venetians waving banners and flashing their passports in anger at the city being placed behind a theme-park or museum-style barrier. Photos show police confronting some protesters.

The long-awaited contributo di accesso (access contribution, rather than entry) began at 8 a.m. Thursday. The city council has launched a pilot project until mid-July to test whether the system works.

Anyone visiting Venice as a tourist for the day - except those living in the local Veneto region - will have to pay a €5 ($5.40) fee if they arrive between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Overnight tourists do not have to pay, as an overnight fee is already added to their accommodation bills. However, they will also have to register their presence to apply for a fee waiver. Essentially, anyone entering the city on the dates the fee is charged must carry a ticket or an exemption. The only exceptions are residents of Venice and those born there.

Hundreds of Venetians took part in a protest in Piazzale Roma, the road entry point to the city, although the exact number was disputed. According to protesters, the largest group was 1,000 people, while authorities claimed only 300 attended.

A smaller protest took place near the main train station, with Venetians confronting the mayor, who was giving interviews to several television crews. The protest ended in an embrace with the mayor, according to news reports that captured the confrontation.