Visiting the Trevi Fountain now will cost more than just a coin toss with a 2-euro tourist fee
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Article contentROME (AP) — Tourists visiting the Trevi Fountain are now going to pay more than just the legendary coin toss over their shoulder to get the Instagrammable selfie in front of one of the world’s most celebrated waterworks.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentStarting Feb. 1, the city of Rome is imposing a 2-euro ($2.35) fee for tourists to get close to the fountain made famous by Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” during prime-time daylight hours. The view for those admiring the late Baroque masterpiece from the piazza above remains free.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentThe tourist fee announced Friday is part of the Eternal City’s efforts to manage tourist flows in a particularly congested part of town, improve the experience and offset the maintenance costs of preserving all of Rome’s cultural heritage. Officials estimate it could net the city 6.5 million euros ($7.6 million) extra a year.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentThe fee, which has been discussed and debated for more than a year, follows a similar ticketing system at Rome’s Pantheon monument and the more complicated tourist day-tripper tax that the lagoon city of Venice imposed last year in a bid to ease overtourism and make the city more liveable for residents.Article contentIn such cases, city residents have been exempt from the fees. The same holds true at Trevi, while the tourist tax and new 5-euro (nearly $6) tourist ticket fee for some city museums is being rolled out in conjunction with a plan to broaden the number of museums that are free for registered Roman residents.Article content“We believe that culture is a fundamental right of citizenship,” Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri told a news conference. “We think it’s correct and positive that the citizens of Rome can enjoy our museums free of charge.”Article contentArticle contentAt the same time, he said, the 2-euro ($2.35) Trevi tourist fee is a minimal amount that shouldn’t discourage visitors, but rather allow for a more organized visit. The city decided to impose it after seeing positive results already from a yearlong experiment to stagger and limit the number of visitors who can reach the front basin edge of the fountain by imposing lines and an entrance and exit pathway.Article contentSo far this year, around 9 million people have waited in line to get that close-up visit, with some days as many as 70,000 passing through, Gualtieri said. That system now becomes permanent from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., with the fee to be paid by nonresidents. Visitors can either pay in advance online, while waiting in line or by buying tickets at tourist locations around town.Article contentAfter nightfall, access is open and free.Article contentPope Urban VIII initially commissioned the fountain in 1640. In 1730, Pope Clement XII revived the project and the current fountain corresponds to the original designs of Roman architect Nicola Salvi.Article contentThe towering fountain features at the Titan god flanked by falls cascading down the travertine rocks into a shallow turquoise pool, where Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg famously took their nighttime dip in “La Dolce Vita.”Article contentWhile bathing is prohibited nowadays, legend has it that visitors who toss a coin over their shoulders and make a wish will return to Rome.Article contentTrending Opinion: The no-more-pipelines MOU FP Comment Posthaste: 2026 might prove perilous for Canadians who piled into variable mortgages this year, Desjardins warns News When sinking property values raise red flags for borrowers Mortgages Tax Court overturns CRA decision to deny bitcoin loss writeoff Taxes Philip Cross: The sad story of Justin Trudeau’s 'youthful idiots' FP Comment Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Opinion: The no-more-pipelines MOU FP Comment Posthaste: 2026 might prove perilous for Canadians who piled into variable mortgages this year, Desjardins warns News When sinking property values raise red flags for borrowers Mortgages Tax Court overturns CRA decision to deny bitcoin loss writeoff Taxes Philip Cross: The sad story of Justin Trudeau’s 'youthful idiots' FP Comment