No more crowds at the Trevi Fountain. Rome is studying a plan to limit access to the work of Nicola Salvi and managing overtourism in view of the Jubilee of 2025. The idea is to implement a system closed number for tourists, with mandatory reservation and a symbolic ticket of about two euros for a 30 minute visit. Roman residents, instead, will continue to have free access. The Fountain will not be hidden, its view from the square will remain free and accessible to all. The ticket will be required only to access the stepped “basin” of the fountain.
Every day, the Trevi Fountain attracts over 12.000 visitors. This measure, inspired by similar models adopted at the Pantheon and in Venice, aims to reduce tourist pressure and the degradation of the monument.
A challenge to overtourism
La tourist pressure on the Trevi Fountain is a problem well known to the authorities. In the summer months, in particular, the tourism in Rome has seen a real boom, with a peak of 1,623 million visitors on August 2023, XNUMX alone. This massive turnout makes it difficult to manage the monument and compromises its enjoyment, transforming the square into a chaotic, overcrowded space that is often a source of degradation.
The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, It is expressed favorably regarding the hypothesis of regulated access: "We are considering the possibility of making the Trevi Fountain visitable by reservation and with limited numbers, because the situation is becoming technically difficult to manage". The concentration of people not only prevents a peaceful visit, but also aggravates safety and urban decorum issues, fueling the debate on the need for concrete intervention.
Miniticket idea and booking
Already in the past, the Councillor for Tourism and Major Events of Rome Capital, Honored Alexander, had raised the issue of limiting access to the Trevi Fountain, one of the most famous Roman fountains. Now due to the "too much concentration of visitors" the problem has returned more serious than expected.
Onorato recently detailed the plan on Instagram, explaining that the goal is make the visit to the Trevi Fountain more orderly and dignified, avoiding the current chaos. The project includes a electronic booking system, free for residents of Rome, while the tourists they should pay a small contribution of 2 euros. The funds raised would be reinvested to create jobs, with the hiring of stewards and hostesses to regulate admissions.
This measure would aim to transform the visit into a “real experience” and not in a frantic rush to take pictures. The restricted number would mainly concern theand internal areas of the stands, often misused by tourists.
Regulated access would not concern the entire square: the the view of the fountain from the square would remain free and accessible to all while the experience of approaching the Trevi Fountain in a calm and orderly manner would be reserved for those who book and pay for the ticket. And this proposal would also respond to security needs, facilitating traceability in case of vandalism or inappropriate behavior in the fountain basin.
If it works, the system will be extended to other areas of the city
Councillor Onorato is determined to continue with the plan, which could include measures such as turnstiles and barriers, although the details are still being worked out. There are also plans to integrate the ticket with the RomaPass and invest in staff to provide tourist information about the fountain.
If the system proves effective, it could be extended to other monuments of the city. The idea could also be replicated in other iconic areas of Rome, such as the Colosseum or the Roman Forum, to improve the management of mass tourism and ensure greater sustainability. The experiment at the Trevi Fountain will serve as a test bed for a model that, if it works, could become a new standard for Roman tourist attractions. A similar model has already been successfully adopted at the Pantheon, where from 1 July 2023 the paid entrance for tourists has improved the management of flows and services, with over 5 million visitors in the last year.
For the Trevi Fountain, at the moment, the technical solutions are still being studied and will be discussed with the Capitoline Superintendency.
Ministry of Tourism in favour
The introduction of a symbolic ticket to access the Trevi Fountain has received the Support from the Ministry of Tourism. The minister Daniela Santanchè expressed his support for the measure: “We need to capitalize on our wealth, so it’s fine to charge and create a booking mechanism, to regulate flows and provide better and more sustainable services to tourists” but it is essential – explains the Minister – that the Municipality “then has the capacity to guarantee the necessary controls and compliance with the rules”.
