Fight against mass tourism The famous Trevi Fountain in Rome may soon charge admission
You will soon no longer be able to throw coins into the fountain in Rome for free. Because the city wants to charge admission to the city's most famous fountain.
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- Rome is considering charging an entrance fee of two euros for access to the Trevi Fountain in order to better regulate mass tourism.
- City councillor Onorato wants to use the ticket system to improve the visitor experience and avoid crowds.
- Similar measures have been tested in Venice with a five-euro fee for day visitors.
At the Trevi Fountain in Rome, it is a tradition to throw a coin backwards over your shoulder into the water. Soon tourists will be able to get rid of their coins in front of the fountain. This is because the Italian capital is considering introducing an entrance fee for the fountain.
"Our idea is to introduce a two-euro ticket to enter the area around the fountain's water basin," announced Alessandro Onorato, the Roman city councillor responsible for tourism, on social media.
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous sights in Rome. The area around the monumental fountain, which was built in the 18th century, is constantly overcrowded. Tourists bustle around the piazza in front and the water basin from morning to night. "We want to make the visit a real experience and not a chaotic jostling between tourists looking for the best selfie," emphasized Onorato.
Access to the fountain could cost two euros
Rome, like many other cities in the Mediterranean country, is struggling with mass tourism. This summer, tourism in Italy's capital recorded record figures. "But now we have to ensure that tourism is compatible with the lives of Romans, that it becomes more sustainable and can be integrated into the city's everyday life," says Onorato. To this end, a kind of ticket reservation system is to be introduced. This envisages tickets costing tourists around two euros - for Romans, however, access is to remain free.
So far, however, this is still just an idea, as the city administration emphasizes. "It is a very concrete idea that we have decided to study and deepen," the Ansa news agency quoted Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri as saying. It is not yet clear when such an entrance fee could be decided and take effect.
Venice is also struggling with mass tourism. This year, the lagoon city tested an entrance fee of five euros for day visitors in order to control the masses of tourists.
SDA
