Visiting the Trevi Fountain in Rome feels like a bit of a rite of passage when you’re in Italy. It’s one of those spots that everyone’s seen in movies, on postcards, and plastered across Instagram feeds and because of that, you probably feel like you should see it too, right? Right.
But let me manage your expectations a bit. Those dreamy Instagram shots of beautiful women perched on the fountain’s edge, looking effortlessly glamorous, without so much as another human in sight? Yeah… that’s not quite the reality. Turns out, the Trevi Fountain is a popular spot. Like, thousands of people at any given moment are kind of popular. Especially if you visit during the Easter holidays as I did. Rookie error. (Update: Went back in 2024 to celebrate my birthday and it was significantly less busy!)
But I can never really begrudge a crowd. Sure, being 5 ft 4 means I’m usually the one getting elbowed in the head or lost behind a sea of shoulders, but that crowd is there to see the same thing I am. We’re all there to tick off a bucket list item, to feel the awe of standing in front of something that’s become a symbol of Rome itself.
Located at the junction of three roads (“tre vie” in Italian, hence the name), the Trevi Fountain was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini. It’s the largest Baroque fountain in the city, standing 26.3 metres tall and stretching 49.15 metres wide (and you can even go underground!) Construction took a solid 30 years (from 1732 to 1762), which feels like a long time until you see the level of detail involved. It’s not just a fountain… It’s a full-blown marble masterpiece, complete with towering figures, fierce seahorses, and a central sculpture of Neptune, the Roman God of the Sea, commanding the waters with an imposing, slightly judgemental gaze. It’s no wonder it’s become one of the most famous fountains in the world, making appearances in iconic films like La Dolce Vita, Roman Holiday, and the slightly less iconic (but still entertaining) When in Rome.
As much as I love to get off the beaten track I’m a total sucker for hitting the popular spots. The places that you’d see in movies and think to yourself “I wonder if I’ll get to see that one day” and the fact that I have the ability to make stuff like this happen, still blows my mind.
Making a Wish at the Trevi Fountain
Of course, you can’t just stand at the Trevi Fountain without tossing a coin into it… it’s a right of passage. The tradition goes that if you toss a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand, it guarantees your return to Rome. Toss a second coin, and you’ll supposedly find a new romance. Throw in a third, and you’re setting yourself up for marriage.
It’s a popular superstition, to say the least. Over €3,000 worth of coins are tossed into the fountain every single day… That’s over a million euros a year. The money is collected by the municipality of Rome and used to support a supermarket for people with lower incomes, which is a nice little twist on the whole “make a wish” concept.
So there I was, standing at the base of the Trevi Fountain, surrounded by a thousand strangers, each clutching their selfie sticks and jostling for a clear shot when a particularly energetic splash of water left me with a very damp behind. And you know what? I still felt happy.
There’s something magical about finally seeing a place in person that you’ve dreamed about for years, even if you have to dodge elbows on your way to the front for a half-decent photo.
And for the record, I did toss a coin in. Just the one though…
I’ll take my chances on romance and marriage!
