Rome to charge €2 to view Trevi Fountain up close starting 2026

Rome will begin charging a €2 entrance fee for visitors who want to view the Trevi Fountain up close, with the barrier to be installed and the system in effect from Feb. 1, 2026. The city says the measure will help manage chaotic tourist flows and support ongoing upkeep of the Baroque landmark. While coins tossed into the fountain are donated to charity, the new fee will fund the city’s maintenance and visitor-management costs. The Trevi Fountain remains visible from the piazza at no charge for onlookers, but access to the front basin and surrounding viewing areas will require payment.

The Trevi Fountain attracts about nine million visitors this year, according to the city, and officials expect the €2 fee to generate roughly €6.5 million a year. Access to the fountain is currently restricted by a queuing system that was introduced following restoration work last year to stagger crowds and prevent bottlenecks. Under the new regime, the front-edge viewing bay will be accessed by paying nonresidents, while the piazza-side view will remain free. Visitors can pay in advance online, at a ticket desk near the site, or at tourist destinations around Rome. The arrangement will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and after nightfall, entry remains free.

The policy also includes exemptions. Children under five, and people with disabilities and their accompanying person, will be exempt from the fee. In another dimension of the city’s cultural-access plan, residents will have free entry to a number of sites that currently charge admission, such as the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina, while some key attractions, including the Napoleonic Museum, will be part of the paid-access regime for nonresidents. The broader tariff system for Rome’s museums and monuments is intended to support preservation and reduce congestion in highly visited areas. The city has emphasized that culture is a fundamental right for its citizens, while noting that the two-euro contribution is modest and designed to support a more orderly visitor experience.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, speaking at a news conference, cited the intended balance between access and preservation. He told Reuters that the two-euro fee is a small amount that should not deter visitors but will help manage crowds and fund maintenance.

The Trevi levy is part of a larger shift in Rome’s approach to tourism, aiming to align with similar efforts in other Italian cities. The system follows moves at places like the Pantheon and echoes Venice’s recent tourist-tax approach, which seeks to temper overtourism while ensuring residents’ access to cultural sites. In Rome, residents will have broader free access under the new framework, and nonresidents will pay for several high-profile sites beyond the Trevi Fountain.

The Trevi Fountain, commissioned by Pope Urban VIII in 1640 and completed in its present form in 1762 based on Nicola Salvi’s designs, remains one of the city’s most photographed landmarks. Its monumental façade, with the Titan god Neptune and cascading travertine falls, has drawn generations of visitors since the fountain’s early days. The fountain’s lore—coins tossed over the shoulder to ensure a return to Rome—continues to be part of its enduring charm, even as visitors are reminded that bathing is prohibited today and social-media-worthy selfies come with an organized visitor flow.

The move comes amid a season of strong tourism in Rome and a push to relieve crowding in popular districts. Earlier reports indicated discussions of separate entrances for locals and visitors and debates over revenue projections, though the city has stressed that the current plan is designed to improve the experience for all while protecting a UNESCO-listed asset. In recent months, some observers cited long waits and crowded conditions around the fountain, underscoring the rationale for managed access.

As Rome rolls out the policy, city officials said that visitors will still be able to see the Trevi Fountain from a distance at no charge after 9 p.m., preserving a free, open-air experience while channeling peak-time footfall through a controlled entry. The approach mirrors a broader trend among European capitals weighing how to balance iconic cultural sites with the needs of residents and the realities of mass tourism.

Public reaction to the policy has been mixed. Proponents say the fee will reduce crowding, protect the monument from wear, and provide a reliable revenue source for maintenance. Critics worry about turning one of Rome’s most celebrated experiences into a paid spectacle and about accessibility for budget-conscious travelers. The city has emphasized that the fee structure is still being refined and will be implemented alongside broader reforms intended to make Rome’s cultural heritage more sustainable for residents and visitors alike.

The Trevi Fountain’s ongoing status as a magnet for visitors—whether for the classic coin toss or a modern-day Instagram moment—will continue, but under a system that seeks to distribute demand more evenly across the day and across Rome’s cultural assets. With the sunset hour remaining free, the city hopes that the new setup will encourage a calmer, more manageable flow of people while ensuring the upkeep of this central landmark for years to come.