Of all European cities, Amsterdam currently holds the title of the city with the highest tourist tax, not just in Europe, but the world.
This is according to Holidu, a European-based online platform that facilitates vacation rental transactions between hosts and guests, that has compiled a ranking of the cities with the highest tourist taxes in Europe, using Euromonitor's ‘Top 100 City Destinations Ranking’.
At an average of €18,45 (R384) per night, Amsterdam currently charges visitors 12,5% tax on the total value of accommodations.
Second place is shared by four Greek cities – Athens, Heraklion, Rhodes and Thessaloniki – which apply an average daily tax of €8,17 (R170). The rate is not uniform and varies depending on the type of accommodation and the time of year, with lower rates during the low season (November to March).
Berlin ranks sixth, with a rate of 7,5% of the nett cost of accommodation, or approximately €7,38 (R154) per night. Milan, in seventh, has adjusted its tourist tax rates for 2025, with the highest rate reaching €7 (R146) per person per night for guests staying in four- and five-star hotels.
Three other Italian cities make up the top 10 ranking. In Rome, the tourist tax varies depending on the type of accommodation and star rating. From this year, guests in five-star hotels pay €10 (R208) per person per night, while in four-star hotels, guests pay €7,5 (R156). The tax decreases for lower-rated accommodations, with three-star hotels at €6 (R125), two-star at €5 (R104), and one-star properties at €4 (R84) per night.
In Florence (ninth), the tourist tax also depends on the accommodation's classification. Visitors staying in five-star hotels pay €8 (R167) per person per night, while guests in four-star hotels pay €7 (R146). Rates decrease for lower-rated hotels, with three-star accommodations at €6 (R125), two-star at €4,5 (R94), and one-star hotels at €3,5 (R73) per night.
The top ten is rounded off by Bologna, which implemented a tourist tax structure in anticipation of the Jubilee Year, with rates that vary based on accommodation costs.
Guests staying in accommodations priced over €121 (R2 517) per night are subject to the highest rate of €7 (R146) pppn; €6,5 (R136) for stays between €71 (R1 477) and €120,99 (R2 516); €5,8 (R121) for stays between €31 (R645) and €70,99 (R1 476); and €4 (R84) for stays between €1 (R21) and €30,99 (R644) per night.
Some of Europe’s most popular tourist cities do not make the top 10 list. Barcelona ranks 11th, with an average tourist tax of €5,81 (R121), followed by Nice and Paris (both in 12th), which stand at €5,65 (R118) per night.
Lisbon, Vienna, Venice and Porto impose average rates below €4 (R84). Porto offers the lowest tax among the top 20 cities, at just €3 (R63) per night.
