Venice authorities launched a pilot program charging visitors a 5-euro entry fee in the hope that it will discourage at peak time, making the city more livable for its residents. In the 1970s, there were about 175,000 residents in Centro Storico, the main island and historic center of Venice. Last year, 20 million people visited, winding their way through its two square miles, introducing a 5€ fee to day trippers who want to access the city.