Rome’s city administration is preparing to introduce paid entry at several sites that have traditionally been free, as part of a new visitor management policy announced by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri on Friday, December 19.
Beginning February 1, tourists will need to purchase a €2 ticket to enter the designated viewing area in front of the basin of the Trevi Fountain. The measure marks the first time access around the iconic monument will be regulated through paid admission rather than open public entry.
The new fee system will also apply to five lesser-known cultural venues operated by the city: the Villa of Maxentius, the Napoleonic Museum, the Carlo Baracco Museum, the Pietro Canonica Museum, and the Museo Pilotti. All six sites are currently accessible without charge.
The Trevi Fountain remains one of the most visited landmarks in Rome, drawing crowds daily for its long-standing ritual in which visitors throw a coin over their shoulder in the belief it ensures a future return to the city. The site has also been a customary stop for high-profile guests and visiting dignitaries.
Completed in 1762, the fountain is a late Baroque composition centered on Oceanus, portrayed standing in a shell-shaped chariot steered by tritons, with sculptural elements depicting the control of water. Its visual prominence has made it a recurring subject in art and popular culture.
The monument’s cinematic legacy includes a widely recognized scene from La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini, in which Anita Ekberg steps into the fountain and calls to her co-star Marcello Mastroianni: “Marcello! Come here!”
