Tourists end up with $1300 restaurant bill in Venice, prompting anger from mayor

Avoiding being ripped off is an inevitable part of travelling, but sometimes you get unlucky.

Four Japanese visitors were presented with a €1,143 ($1,350) bill at a Venice restaurant, prompting anger from the city's mayor, according to a report by ANSA.

The group of students dined at the restaurant located near the tourist hotspot St Mark's Square, and ordered four steaks, a fried fish platter and mineral water.

Three other women, who were part of the group, suspected they were being scammed and decided to leave the restaurant, but still ended up paying €350 ($535) for three pasta dishes.

The group later filed a complaint with local police, but a report from Il Gazzettino stated the owner of the restaurant didn't recall having any problems with Japanese customers.

"In the coming days we will check well this episode, we'll send a copy of the complaint if it was actually filed," Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro wrote on Twitter.

"If this shameful episode is confirmed, we will do everything possible to punish those responsible. We stand for justice, always!"

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In Venice, where 30 million visitors outnumber the local population of around 55,000, running into a tourist trap is unfortunately a very real risk.

A British family were also taken for ride last November, spending €526 ($644) for lunch at a restaurant also located near St Mark's Square after being presented with an elaborate seafood platter they didn't order.