Rome has begun charging visitors to access some of its most popular landmarks, with the Trevi Fountain now carrying a €2 entry fee as part of a broader effort to manage crowds and fund conservation. The move places the fountain among six historic sites and museums newly brought under a revised pricing structure introduced by city authorities.
The change comes alongside the launch of the €5 Roma MIC card, which grants access to several civic museums, including the Napoleonic Museum and the Giovanni Barracco Museum of Ancient Sculpture. Rome residents are exempt from both charges. City officials say the scheme is intended to strike a balance between encouraging locals to engage with their museums and safeguarding a historic centre under constant strain.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri has stressed that the Trevi Fountain will remain visible from afar at no cost, with tickets required only for closer access. “Two euros isn’t very much,” he told Reuters, arguing that the measure should help reduce the crush of visitors that routinely overwhelms the site. Entry will also remain free after 10 pm each evening.
According to figures cited by The Guardian, the Trevi fee alone is expected to generate around €6.5 million annually, earmarked for the upkeep of the fountain and other monuments across the capital. The coins, traditionally tossed into the water as a ritual with its own mythology, will continue to be donated to charity.
The introduction of fees follows a period of intensive conservation. Last year, a temporary walkway and queuing system were installed while the 18th-century fountain underwent a €300,000 cleaning project. The water was drained, and the monument cordoned off as specialists removed mould and calcium deposits, with visitor numbers capped to prevent further damage.
Completed in 1762 and set against the rear façade of Palazzo Poli, the Trevi Fountain is carved from white Carrara marble and ranks among the most important of late Baroque sculptures. It was memorably featured in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, which amplified its global appeal. Rome’s latest tax suggests the city is now testing how far it can go to protect the legacy without diminishing its allure.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons Author Bengt Nyman