Want to swim in a Venice canal? Think again: This hefty fine will keep swimmers out of the water
A pair of tourists were this month fined over $1,000 after taking an illegal dip in one of Venice’s iconic canals.
Two tourists were last week fined and thrown out of Venice after taking a swim in one of the Italian city’s iconic canals, with local authorities lambasting the pair’s behavior as “uncivilized” and “disrespectful”.
The tourists - a British man and a Romanian woman - were reported to police by gondoliers after jumping into the Grand Canal, which flows through the heart of Venice’s historic center.
How much were the Venice canal swimmers fined?
They were slapped with a fine for a total of €900 ($1,060), Venice’s municipal council said, and were temporarily barred from the city.
As is outlined on the Venice council website, it is strictly prohibited to “bathe, dive into and swim” in the city’s canals. The offense comes with a €350 ($410) fine per offender, the city administration notes.
Per local media, the couple’s 48-hour Venice ban carried an additional €100 ($120) fine per person.
“Defending dignity and decorum of unique city”
“Fined €900 and given an immediate expulsion order: that’s how two tourists’ holiday came to an end,” said Elisabetta Pesce, Venice council’s safety advisor, in a statement.
“A few hours after their arrival, they decided to dive into the Grand Canal, mistaking it for a swimming pool.
“Thanks to the gondoliers who quickly reported the incident, our local police were able to intervene immediately, stopping uncivilized and disrespectful behavior.”
Pesce added: “Protecting Venice means defending the dignity and decorum of a unique city, for the benefit of both residents and visitors who respect it.”
Tourists behaving badly
Speaking to CNN, a Venice police chief said there have been over a thousand instances of unruly tourists being thrown out of the city so far in 2025.
“Since the beginning of the year, we have issued a total of 1,136 orders of expulsion for incidents of degradation and uncivilized behavior,” Gianni Franzoi, the deputy commander of Venice’s local police, said.
Franzoi added that around 10 of these expulsions were handed out for swimming in canals.
A tourism hotspot pushed to the limit
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Venice is a destination that has faced a well-documented battle against over-tourism, with a reported 30 million people visiting the city each year.
In 2024, Venice began trialling an entrance fee targeted at day trippers, charging for access to the historic center during peak periods.
This year, single-day visitors were charged up to €10 (just under $12) for entry on certain days (chiefly Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) between April 18 and July 27.
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