Visitors heading to Venice may not see as many of the city’s picturesque canals or potentially enjoy a gondola ride because the waterways have dried up due to a high-pressure weather system sitting over Italy. The dry weather has led to a stretch of ebb tides that have left several of the city’s smaller canals dry and unable to support boat traffic. That, in turn, has meant tourists can’t explore many of the beautiful secondary waterways by gondola. Even ambulance boats have had trouble reaching their destinations. Venice has taken steps in recent years to protect its waterways and combat excessive tourism, including banning large cruise ships from the the lagoon near St. Mark’s Square. The city also plans to implement a fee for day trippers. While the smaller canals have been impacted by the drought conditions, the wider main waterways — like the Grand Canal — remain navigable.
