City tax
Everyone who sleeps in Venice pays the city tax (imposta di soggiorno). At Fraivolti it is €4 per person per night, for the first 5 nights only, paid on arrival.
The access fee
From 2024 to 2026 Venice tried out an access fee for day-trippers on the busiest days of spring and summer. People staying overnight did not pay it, because they already pay the city tax. The rules for the coming years are up to the City of Venice: check the official site cda.ve.it before you travel, and ask me if you are unsure.
Acqua alta
High tides come mostly between October and January. Since 2020 the MOSE barriers have kept out the highest ones, but the lowest areas, starting with St Mark’s Square, can still flood for a few hours. A few hours before a high tide the sirens sound: the more rising notes, the higher the water. Forecasts are in the City’s official app, hi!tide Venice. Raised walkways go up on the main routes, and every shop sells boot covers.
Water and toilets
Tap water is safe to drink and the city is full of drinking fountains: bring a bottle. There are paid public toilets near the main sights; in bars and cafés the toilets are for customers.
Rules to respect
People live here, and the rules protect them and the city. Breaking them can cost you a fine.
- Don’t sit down to eat on bridges, steps or monuments, and no picnics around St Mark’s.
- No swimming in the canals.
- No bicycles or scooters in the historic centre.
- Swimsuits and bare chests are for the beach at the Lido, not the streets.
- Don’t feed the pigeons and gulls.
Safety and emergencies
Venice is very safe; just watch out for pickpockets on crowded water buses and around Rialto and St Mark’s. For emergencies call 112, the European emergency number. The city hospital is the Ospedale Civile at Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Pharmacies have a green cross, and the rota of the ones open at night is posted on their doors.
Rubbish
Venice separates its rubbish and collects it at set times. You will find instructions in the apartment and in the room: please follow them.