New visitor fees for southern Europe
Mykonos and Santorini are the latest European tourist hotspots to introduce fees and restrictions to help manage the flow of travellers, particularly during the busy summer period.
Greek Islands
This year, Greek islands Mykonos and Santorini will introduce arrival fees for cruise passengers.
- €20 per person, June to September
- €12 per person, April, May and October
- €4 per person, November to March
Santorini will limit cruise passengers to 8000 a day.
Some of the funds will be used to improve the islands’ infrastructure, which is under strain during the peak season.
Italy
Venice
Having begun charging day-trippers to visit the city in 2024, Venice will continue the payment system this year for travellers older than 14 years.
A day-tripper ticket, valid from 8.30am to 4pm on 54 specified dates, is €5 if bought within four days before arrival, or €10 if paid later. Tickets can be purchased online and exemptions apply.
Cinque Terre
You’ll need a Cinque Terre Trekking Card if you intend to walk the popular Blue Path coastal trail connecting Monterosso and Corniglia. The adult price for the card is €15 during peak season ‘red days’, and €7.50 at other times. Children and family discounts apply.
The ticket includes free use of the toilets at the train stations in Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, (saving €1 per toilet stop); free use of buses in Cinque Terre National Park; and reduced admission prices for several museums in La Spezia.
Capri
Non-residents pay a landing fee for visiting the island of Capri, which is added to the ferry ticket price.
Non-residents aren’t allowed to take cars or motorcycles to Capri from April to October.
Several other Italian islands restrict access to private vehicles during the peak holiday season.
Spain
The Spanish Government has cited national security as the reason car rental companies, accommodation providers and campsites are now required to gather and submit customer data to the government, including:
- Name
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Payment details (including credit card numbers)
- Check-in and check-out dates.
Portugal
Several popular destinations in Portugal charge a visitor tax, with Lisbon recently raising the rate from €2 to €4 per night, with an increase of €1 to €2 for cruise passengers. Porto’s rate has risen from €2 to €3 per night.
These taxes apply to visitors aged 13 and above and are capped at seven consecutive nights.
Note: At the time of writing, €1 equalled AU$1.73