With winter sweeping across the UK and temperatures dipping close to freezing, you’re likely not alone in dreaming of your next summer holiday. However, if you’re heading to one popular Italian destination, there is a little-known law that you need to be wary of.

If you aren’t aware of this law and flout it, you could be facing a whopping €500 fine – the equivalent of £438. The law pertains to the canal city of Venice, where millions of tourists flock every year.  There is a social media fad of snapping a picture in the city’s Piazza San Marco surrounded by the pigeons that gather there. However, these pigeons have become a PR nightmare for the city.

Since 2008, local authorities have enforced a strict ban on the sale and distribution of grain to feed pigeons and other birds in the lagoon city. 

It came into practice after scores of complaints from locals and visitors about the volume of bird poo across the city.

Now, if authorities catch you trying to secure a picture by feeding the pigeons, you could be liable to pay a €500 fine for your troubles.

Vendors around the square will often try to sell you bird feed to get a picture, but this law sees both you and them fined. 

Simon Hood, Executive Director of relocation firm John Mason International, said: “Everyone’s seen the photos of tourists covered in pigeons in the Piazza San Marco; it’s become something of a Venetian tradition. 

“But few know it’s illegal to feed any pigeons in the square, meaning attracting them to take the photo using bird feed makes you liable for a fine from Italian authorities, not just the vendor who sold it to you.”

With Italy set to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, Simon warns it’s likely that authorities will be even more vigilant next year.

He said: “We’ve heard the cycle that comes with international sporting and athletic competitions from clients. Globally, it’s the same pattern: local authorities put massive amounts of time into cleaning up streets, creating additional transport links, dealing with the small issues – in this case, pigeons. So, I’d recommend thinking twice about whether that Venice snap is really worth it.”