One of the most common surprises for travellers in Europe is the city tax or tourist tax added to the hotel bill at checkout. These charges are rarely included in the rate shown on booking platforms, and they can add €1–7 per person per night depending on the destination. Understanding how these taxes work, where they apply, and how much they cost helps you budget accurately and avoid unpleasant surprises at reception.
City taxes (also called tourist tax, accommodation tax, overnight tax, or Kurtaxe) are local government levies charged to overnight visitors. They are separate from VAT, which is already included in the displayed hotel price across Europe. City taxes are almost never included in the rate shown on Booking.com, Expedia, or Google Hotels — they appear as an additional charge either at checkout or on the final billing page of the OTA. The revenue funds local tourism infrastructure, cultural preservation, public transport, and city maintenance.
Most city taxes are charged per person per night, though some are calculated as a percentage of the room rate. Children under a certain age (usually 10–14 years) are often exempt. The tax typically applies for a limited number of nights (7–14 nights in most cities), after which it stops accruing.
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Italy has the most fragmented city tax system in Europe because each municipality sets its own rate. Rome charges €3–7 per person per night depending on the hotel star rating (€3 for 1-star, €7 for 5-star and luxury properties). Florence charges €2–5.50, Venice €1–5, Milan €2–5, and Naples €1–3.50. Children under 10 are exempt in most Italian cities. The tax applies for a maximum of 7–14 consecutive nights depending on the city. Importantly, the tax is always paid in cash at the hotel — even if you paid for the room online. Some hotels now accept card payment for the tax, but cash remains the norm.
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France charges a taxe de séjour that varies by accommodation type and municipality. Paris charges €0.99–14.95 per person per night depending on the category (€0.99 for unclassified lodging, up to €14.95 for palace-rated hotels). Most 3-star and 4-star hotels in Paris charge €2.88–5.00 per person per night. Children under 18 are exempt. Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille have their own rates, generally lower than Paris. An additional departmental tax (10% of the base taxe de séjour) may also apply. Since 2019, France has added a surcharge for OTA bookings in some municipalities.
Spain's tourist tax currently applies only in Catalonia (Barcelona, Costa Brava, Girona) and the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca). Barcelona charges €0.65–3.50 per person per night depending on the accommodation type, plus a Barcelona city surcharge of €3.25 per night, making the total €3.90–6.75 per person per night — one of the highest in Europe. The Balearic Islands charge €1–4 per person per day depending on the season and accommodation type (halved in low season November–April). Children under 16 are exempt. Madrid and other Spanish regions do not currently impose a tourist tax, though proposals are regularly debated.
Germany has two separate systems. The Kurtaxe (spa tax) applies in resort and spa towns — you pay €1–4 per person per day and receive a guest card (Kurkarte) providing free or discounted access to local transport, beaches, spas, and attractions. The Bettensteuer (bed tax) or Kulturförderabgabe (culture tax) applies in major cities: Berlin charges 5% of the net room rate, Hamburg charges a flat rate based on room price, and other cities vary. Business travellers can claim exemption from the Bettensteuer in some German cities by presenting proof of business purpose. Munich notably does not charge a city tax.
Amsterdam charges a tourist tax of 7% of the room rate — one of the highest percentage-based taxes in Europe. For a €200/night hotel, that is an additional €14 per night. Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht charge lower rates (typically 5–6.5% of the room rate).
Vienna charges €3.02 per person per night (for the first 3 months of stay). Salzburg charges 0.65% of the overnight fee. Innsbruck and Tyrol charge €1–3 per person per night depending on the municipality.
Lisbon charges €2 per person per night for a maximum of 7 nights. Porto charges €2 per person per night, also capped at 7 nights. Children under 13 are exempt. The Algarve municipalities have introduced similar taxes of €1.50–2 per person per night.
Croatia charges a sojourn tax (boravišna pristojba) of €1.00–1.35 per person per night in peak season, reduced by 50% in shoulder season and 75% in off-season. Dubrovnik is at the higher end. Children aged 12–17 pay 50%, and under 12 are exempt.
Prague charges CZK 50 (approximately €2) per person per night. The tax applies to stays up to 60 consecutive nights. Children under 18 are exempt.
Several popular European destinations do not charge a city or tourist tax: the UK (no national or local tourist tax), Ireland, Scandinavia (with minor exceptions), Poland (except for spa towns), and most of Eastern Europe. The UK has repeatedly considered introducing a tourist tax, and Edinburgh was granted powers to implement one, but as of 2026 it has not yet been activated.
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Data and regulations verified against official sources. Last checked 2026-04-25.
Almost never. City taxes are shown as a separate line item during the checkout process or noted in the small print under the price. Some OTAs show 'taxes and fees' as an additional amount, which may include the city tax, but the headline price you see in search results does not include it. Always check the total price at the final booking stage to see the city tax amount.
In Italy, cash payment at the hotel reception is still the most common method, though an increasing number of hotels accept cards. In most other European countries (France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands), the city tax is typically added to your hotel bill and can be paid by card along with the room charge. If you are visiting Italy, carry small euro notes to cover the tax at checkout.
In most countries, yes, with varying age thresholds. Italy exempts children under 10 (varies by municipality). France exempts children under 18. Spain exempts under 16 in Catalonia and the Balearics. Germany varies by city. The Netherlands charges the tax per room, not per person, so children sharing a room do not add to the tax. Always verify the specific exemption age for your destination.
In some German cities (Berlin, Hamburg), business travellers can claim exemption from the bed tax by providing a letter from their employer confirming the business purpose of the stay. In most other European countries, business travellers pay the same city tax as leisure travellers — there is no exemption. The rationale is that the tax funds infrastructure used by all visitors regardless of purpose.
Yes, most cities cap the tax at a certain number of consecutive nights. Rome caps at 10 nights, Lisbon and Porto at 7 nights, Prague at 60 nights, and Vienna at 3 months. This means long-stay visitors and residents in temporary accommodation stop paying the tax after the cap is reached. The specific cap varies by city, so check local regulations for extended stays.
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