The new measures came into effect on Thursday in the latest attempt by local authorities to ease the pressure of thousands of visitors crowding the lagoon city’s squares, bridges and alleyways every day.

A ban on the use of loudspeakers by tourist guides also came into force on Thursday in a bid to lower noise levels across the city and improve the lives of locals.

The restrictions covered Venice’s historic centre (centro storico) and the nearby islands of Burano, Murano and Torcello, with fines of up to €500 for those flouting the rules, according to local media reports.

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Groups of students and visitors on an educational trip were exempt from the cap on tourist parties, whereas children of up to two years of age were set to be excluded from the count, reports said. 

Both measures were first announced in late December 2023, with Venice’s security councillor Elisabetta Pesce saying they would promote “sustainable tourism” and ensure “the protection and safety of the city,” as well as prevent “confusion and disturbance” to residents.

The rules were initially meant to come into force on June 1st but the start date was later postponed to August 1st, with the town hall providing no official explanation for the delay.

The new restrictions kicked in little over two weeks after Venice wrapped up its trial of a contested five-euro entry fee intended to reduce crowds on peak tourism dates.

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The pilot scheme, which was enforced on a total of 29 days between April 25th and July 14th, was hailed as “a success” by city officials, who vowed to bring it back in 2025, possibly with a higher fee.

But local opposition leaders said the project failed to meet its objectives, while infringing on residents’ fundamental privacy rights and transforming the city into a “theme park”.

Venice has long struggled with the effect of mass tourism, with increasing numbers of short-term holiday lets often seen as the main reason behind the city’s steep population decline (residents went from around 174,000 in 1951 to just over 49,000 in late 2023).

In April, budget councillor Michele Zuin said that a long-planned bill aimed at curbing Airbnb-style lets to free up housing for residents and push rents down was “ready”, but there have been no developments since.