A favorite activity of tourists, many would bring a simply handful of birdseed or other fine-feathered feast, resulting in hordes of the birds perching and landing all around. Families reveled in taking photos of the sight, and enjoyed feeding the birds together, making wonderful memories on their visit to Venice.
In 2008 the local city government decided to pass an ordinance forbidding the feeding of the pigeons at St. Mark’s Basilica. This was enough to ruffle more than a few feathers. Not only were tourists extremely disappointed, but a number of local birdseed vendors who made quite a pretty penny selling their wares for the birds and tourists alike, also wound up getting their tail-feathers in a bunch. The city cited a number of reasons for the ordinance, including the mess made around the cathedral by the birds, namely their poop. Other tourists who did not share the interest in feeding the birds with others also complained of their inability to enjoy St. Mark’s on their own terms due to the area constantly being overrun by the dirty animals.
Regardless, the feeding does continue, and numbers of individuals and families indulge in the pastime. Because of the depth of the tradition behind the feeding of the birds at St. Mark’s Basilica. Feeding them is stilled banned, however, by the local government, for the variety of reasons cited above and many more.
If you are planning a trip to see the Basilica and you are planning on feeding the birds it is a much safer idea to simply be photographed with them if at all possible. Feeding them and being caught can result in penalties, and the locals who are firmly aware of the law do not appreciate it being broken.
So, if you are planning to go to Venice keep in mind all there is to do and see there. Don’t let the fact that feeding the birds is out of the question deter you. There are literally thousands of beautiful, romantic reasons to visit Venice, so press on with your plans. Just leave the seeds at home.