Tourists will now have to pay a fee to access the famous balcony associated with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
“Juliet’s House”, found in the Italian city of Verona, has become a place of pilgrimage due to the similarities between the fictional family name “Capulet” and the real-life “Dal Capello” family, who lived in the palazzo.
The small balcony overlooking the courtyard is considered similar to the one where the star-crossed lovers declare their love for each other in the play.
Now a place symbolising romance, large crowds gather in the square to take selfies and rub the breasts of the bronze Juliet statue.
That was until 6 December, when new rules were enforced, preventing visitors from walking into the courtyard to snap pictures unless they had purchased a ticket to the museum inside the house.
Until 6 January, access to the space will only be permitted with a ticket for the museum, costing adults €12 (£10.50) to enter.
Alongside the new charge, visitors will also now have to adhere to a strict 60-second time limit for couples who want to take photographs on the balcony, The Telegraph reports.
Meanwhile, the number of tourists allowed in Juliet’s House at any one time will be reduced from 130 to 100.
The decision to control the crowds around the balcony has angered tourists, with The Times reporting that upset visitors shouted “Shame!” at the guards who were turning people away.
“People are really unhappy,” one guard said.
Verona’s culture and tourism chief, Marta Ugolini, said the last thing the city wanted to do was “limit access to a place as beloved as the Courtyard and Juliet’s House.”
“However, when people’s safety is at stake, we have a duty to adopt appropriate protective measures, especially in the presence of extraordinary flows such as those expected during the Christmas period.
“We are aware of the temporary inconvenience, but we believe this choice is necessary to protect both people and a symbolic place of our city,” she added. “Once the already initiated agreement is finalised, we will be able to offer visitors a more welcoming, structured, and culturally meaningful route, for the benefit of all.”
Meanwhile, souvenir shopkeepers are also worried about how this new regulation will affect their businesses.
“I understand that on some days, when tourist numbers are high, there is a need to regulate the crowds. But it is unthinkable that it is going to be like this from now until Jan 6, it is really going to hurt us,” said Alessandra Sinico, one shopkeeper, according to The Telegraph.
Verona is not the only Italian city that is trying to tackle overcrowding at its most beloved attractions.
Venice began charging summer daytrippers last year, and has extended the number of days it will be enforced in 2026 in an attempt to relieve the pressures of overtourism.
The Independent has contacted the Municipality of Verona for comment.
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