Overview
- The new system began on December 6 with timed 15‑minute visits in groups of up to 45, a reduced on‑site cap of 100, and a reported daily limit of 1,460 entries.
- Officials say the rules are needed to control overcrowding after plans to route visitors through the adjacent Teatro Nuovo were not possible this season.
- Early days brought street queues, sold‑out slots and complaints from uninformed tourists, as well as criticism from opposition parties and local guides over short notice.
- Reports detail visitors attempting to avoid the fee by photographing the courtyard from souvenir‑shop windows or nearby balconies and hotels.
- The administration is weighing changes including reopening rear access via Teatro Nuovo, introducing a €2–3 symbolic ticket, and possibly instituting one‑way foot traffic on via Cappello.