Rome to charge tourists to visit Trevi Fountain
Tourists who want to approach Rome’s Trevi Fountain will soon have to pay a fee, the mayor says; “the authorities want to profit more generously from Italy’s many attractions.”
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri told reporters that tourists would be charged two euros ($A3.5) per person from February 1, adding that the measure was expected to raise 6.5 million euros ($A11.5 million) a year.
“Two euros is not too much… and will lead to a less chaotic flow of tourists.” Gualtieri emphasized that Roman citizens will continue to have free access to the fountain.
Tourists will have to pay if they want to climb the stone steps surrounding the fountain’s basin; The surrounding small square offering views of the imposing monument will remain open to everyone.
The Trevi Fountain has long been a major tourist attraction, even for visiting world leaders, as tradition dictates that visitors must throw coins into the water to guarantee their return to Rome.
Completed in 1762, the monument is a late Baroque masterpiece depicting Oceanus, god of all waters, symbolizing the changing moods of the world’s seas and rivers.
Gualtieri stated that it has received nine million visitors so far this year, and that he expects many people will prefer to see the fountain from a distance in the future rather than paying to be close to the water.
Visitors on Friday said they would be willing to pay if the money was put to good use.
“If that means the money is used to protect him, then yes that’s fine,” said British tourist Yvonne Salustri.
Five other relatively unknown sites in Rome that are currently free will start charging five euros for access from February, continuing a recent trend aimed at profiting off Italy’s cultural heritage, Gualtieri said.
In 2023, a five-euro entrance fee to Rome’s ancient Pantheon was introduced. As a result, the square outside is often crowded with people waiting their turn to pay and get inside.
Venice has introduced a tourist entrance fee system during peak travel season, while Verona this month began charging for access to the balcony associated with Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” in the northern Italian city.
