Residents protest as Venice launches five-euro entry fee | AFP

Venice begins charging day-trippers for entry, a world first aimed at tackling mass tourism but opposed by protesters objecting to treating the historic Italian city as a museum. Around 10,000 tickets had been sold by the time the scheme began at 8:30 am (0630 GMT) on Thursday, according to local authorities. "We are in the European Union and Italy too, in its Constitution, guarantees free passage," says a veteran Venetian activist, while a Swiss tourist says: "It seems like a good idea."