Venice is often described as a living museum — a city of canals, palaces, and timeless beauty. But for those who live here, it’s not a museum at all. It’s home. Or at least, it used to be.
In recent decades, Venice has become a victim of its own allure. The crowds keep coming — millions every year — while the number of Venetians who actually live in the historic center keeps shrinking. Today, fewer than 50,000 people remain in a city that once held more than three times that number.
This is the story of how overtourism is reshaping Venice, why so many locals are leaving, and what’s at stake for the city’s future.
How Many People Live in Venice Today?
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Historic Center: Around 50,000–51,000 permanent residents.
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1950s: Over 175,000 residents lived in the same area.
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Rate of Decline: Roughly 1,000 Venetians leave every year.
That means Venice has lost over 70% of its local population in the last 70 years. Walk through the backstreets at night and you’ll notice it — dark windows, silent courtyards, and neighborhoods that feel more like hotel corridors than living communities.
Why Are Venetians Leaving?
The reasons are complex, but they all link back to one thing: overtourism.
1. Housing Is Being Taken Over by Tourist Rentals
In some areas, up to 30% of apartments have been converted into short-term rentals like Airbnb. Prices for both renting and buying have skyrocketed, pushing young Venetians to the mainland.
2. Daily Life Is Constantly Interrupted
From celebrity weddings that close off streets to cruise ship arrivals that spill thousands into the squares, everyday errands can feel like running an obstacle course. Even the traghetti — the simple gondola ferries locals use to cross the Grand Canal — have recently been swamped by tourists following viral TikTok tips.
3. The Economy Is Dominated by Tourism
Shops that once sold fresh bread, hardware, or school supplies are replaced by souvenir stands and luxury boutiques. Jobs outside of tourism are scarce, and many locals feel their skills have no place in the current economy.
Overtourism in Numbers
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Annual Visitors: Around 20 million people visit Venice each year.
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Peak Days: Up to 80,000 visitors in a single day — more than the entire resident population of the historic center.
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Day-Tripper Tax: Introduced to manage crowds, charging €5–€10 to visitors who aren’t staying overnight.
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Short Stays Dominate: Many visitors come for just a few hours, spending little money outside the main tourist routes.
The Human Side of the Numbers
For those who remain, the biggest loss isn’t just convenience — it’s community.
Venetian life has always been tied to its neighborhoods: morning chats at the bar over coffee, neighbors helping each other carry groceries over bridges, children playing in small campi (squares). When families move away, these rhythms fade.
Empty apartments mean no lights in the evening, no footsteps on the stairs, no voices in the courtyard. In some areas, residents know only a handful of people in their building — the rest are short-term guests who leave after two nights.
What’s Being Done?
City officials are trying a mix of policies:
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Day-Tripper Fee: To limit and manage same-day arrivals.
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Regulating Short-Term Rentals: Proposals to cap the number of tourist apartments.
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Spreading Tourism: Promoting lesser-known neighborhoods and nearby islands to ease crowding in hotspots.
But these efforts face criticism from both sides — locals say they’re too little, too late, while some businesses fear restrictions will hurt the economy.
Why This Matters for the Future of Venice
Venice’s charm isn’t just in its architecture or canals — it’s in its people. If the resident population continues to drop, the city risks becoming a stage set without actors: beautiful to look at, but hollow behind the façades.
Tourism isn’t the enemy — it’s part of Venice’s lifeblood — but it has to be balanced with the needs of those who keep the city alive 365 days a year.
How Visitors Can Help
If you’re planning a trip to Venice, here’s how you can make a difference:
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Stay Overnight – Avoid contributing to the day-tripper surge.
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Explore Beyond St. Mark’s – Visit neighborhoods like Cannaregio, Dorsoduro, or Castello.
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Support Local Businesses – Buy from family-run shops, eat at neighborhood osterie.
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Respect the Rhythm – Remember, this is a living city, not just a backdrop for photos.
Final Thoughts
Venice will always inspire awe. But whether it remains a living, breathing city depends on choices made now — by policymakers, locals, and yes, by visitors.
The question is no longer “Will Venice survive?” It’s “What kind of Venice will survive?”
If we want a city where children still play in the campi, where neighbors greet each other across balconies, and where life happens beyond the tourist trail, then we have to treat Venice not as a theme park, but as a home.
