Tourists will have to pay two euros to gain access to the Trevi Fountain in Rome from 1is February, which should bring in 6.5 million euros per year for the City, announced the mayor of the Italian capital, Roberto Gualtieri, Friday December 19. Only Romans will still benefit from free access.
The monument, which attracts large crowds every day, will remain visible free of charge from a distance, but local access will be reserved for ticket holders, the mayor said during a press conference. Five other sites are affected and their access will cost five euros.
This Baroque masterpiece built on the facade of a palace is one of the most popular sights in Rome, made famous by The Dolce Vitafilm by Federico Fellini, in which Anita Ekberg invites Marcello Mastroianni to join her in the fountain basin. It is one of the most popular places for the many visitors who explore the Eternal City.
Making a wish and throwing a coin into the water is a tradition so ingrained that the authorities collect thousands of euros per week, which are then given to the Caritas association. Between 1is January and December 8, some nine million tourists visited the area just in front of the fountain, an average of 30,000 people per day, Mr. Gualtieri said. The town hall had already announced that it wanted to regulate access to the fountain due to too many people in this area, a target for pickpockets.
This is not the first time that Italian authorities have introduced tariffs for monuments. The Pantheon, a church housed in an ancient Roman temple, began charging visitors in 2023, and Venice last year introduced a tourist entrance fee during peak periods.
