‘It’s surreal, nobody’s here:’ Venice becomes a ghost town as coronavirus keeps tourists away

‘I can carry on for a couple of weeks, after that it will be a disaster,’ tour guide tells Alessio Perrone

Although areas in lockdown are more than 150 miles away, the outbreak has scared people away from the historic city (AP)

Piazza San Marco looks vast, grey and empty. Normally one of the most visited squares in Italy, today only a handful of tourists saunter in the square home to Venice’s basilica, under the drizzle.

Elsewhere in Venice, the canals are also quiet, with many gondolas kept tied to the docks.

“It’s surreal, there’s nobody around,” says Natalia Spolador, a 56-year-old resident.