TOURISTS could soon have to pay to see one of the most famous attractions in Europe, despite the fact it’s currently completely free.
Officials in Rome are considering limiting access to the Trevi Fountain, one of its busiest monuments, with a big year for tourism expected.
The Italian capital is hosting its 2025 Jubilee, a year-long Roman Catholic event, which is expected to bring as many as 32 million tourists and pilgrims to the city.
In order to minimise the impact of the visitors, the city is thinking about adding an admission price to the fountain.
Under the plans, visits to the fountain would also require a prior reservation, with fixed time slots and a limited number of people allowed to access the steps around it.
Meanwhile, locals would still be able to visit the monument for free.
Rome’s tourism councillor Alessandro Onorato broke the news in Thursday’s Il Messaggero newspaper.
He said: “For Romans we are thinking of making it free, while non-residents would be asked to make a symbolic contribution, one or two euros (84p-£1.70).”
On Wednesday, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said that measures to curb tourist numbers are “a very concrete possibility” ahead of the festivities.
He continued: “The situation at the Trevi Fountain is becoming technically very difficult to manage.”
The tourist fees would be one of several brought in across cities affected by large numbers of tourists.
Elsewhere, popular cities are facing protests over problems brought by over-tourism.
They include Barcelona and Venice, where local authorities have tested an entry charge scheme for visitors this year.
The Trevi Fountain, where tradition dictates that visitors toss a coin to guarantee their return to Rome and fulfil their wishes, has long been a major attraction, even for visiting world leaders.
Completed in 1762, the monument is a late Baroque masterpiece, with statues of Tritons guiding the shell chariot of the god Oceanus, illustrating the theme of the taming of the waters.
It is also remembered for one of cinema’s most famous scenes when in Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” Anita Ekberg wades into the fountain and beckons her co-star Marcello Mastroianni to join her: “Marcello! Come here!”
The tradition of tossing coins into the fountain raises a staggering €1.5m (£1.25m) every year, with the money removed from the monument twice a week.
The small fortune is then donated to Catholic charity Caritas, who use the bucketfuls of change to fund local charitable services, like food banks, soup kitchens and welfare projects.
Signs around the monument warn tourists about the risks of trying to collect the coins for themselves.
And anyone caught jumping into the fountain is likely to receive a hefty fine, with two Australian visitors fined €450 (£380) for taking a dip last year.
They also received a 48-ban on visiting certain parts of the city.
The millions dragged from the Trevi Fountain makes it the richest wishing well in the world.
Meanwhile, this UK city is also considering implementing a tourist tax.
And this seaside town became the first in the UK to bring in similar costs for visitors.
