Visitors to the Eternal City will soon have to pay €2 for up-close access to the Trevi Fountain, the Italian capital’s iconic Baroque monument.
Access to the imposing 18th-century water feature has long been free of charge; indeed, admirers traditionally throw coins into the pool, hoping to be blessed with a future Roman holiday.
From 1 February 2026, most tourists will have to pay the charge, which is part of a city-wide scheme to manage visitor numbers and fund maintenance of museums and monuments.
Children aged under five, visitors with disabilities and their companions will be exempt from the levy, as will local residents.
Admission to the popular lower basin area will be limited to 400 people at a time, aiming to manage overcrowding at one of Rome’s most congested areas, which receives up to 70,000 visitors a day.
The City of Rome expects to generate around €6.5m a year from the fountain alone. The coins tossed into the palazzo-style fountain add up to about €1.5m annually, which is donated to charity.
With its Corinthian columns, triumphal arch, classical deities and mythical hippocamps, the Trevi Fountain has made many appearances in popular culture. Perhaps the most famous is in Frederico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960), in which actress Anita Ekberg wades through the fountain’s waters.
There will be a queuing system and barriers in operation, although visitors can still view the Late Baroque architect Nicola Salvi’s ornate fountain from afar without paying.
An app-based booking system is set to be launched, while the quieter times between 9pm and 9am remain our tip for less crowds, freer access and Felliniesque romance.
If you buy a ticket and get close to the water’s edge, throw your coins with your right hand over your left shoulder to ensure future fortune.
