Rome is set to introduce an entrance fee for the Trevi Fountain and five other sites, the Italian capital's mayor announced on Friday.

Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, said at a press conference that tourists will be expected to pay the new fees starting on February 1.

Rome residents will be afforded free access to the monument.

While the Trevi Fountain will still be viewable from a distance for free, tourists will have to purchase a €2 ($2.35) ticket to get a closer look.

Rome had already implemented restrictions in order to combat overtourism, with only 400 people allowed in the area around Trevi Fountain at a time.

The 18th-Century Baroque fountain is typically beset by dense crowds, with many people making a wish and tossing a coin into its water.

Gualtieri said that an average of 30,000 people visited the fountain per day this year, amounting to some nine million tourists between January 1 and December 8.

The other sites to introduce entry fees are the Villa of Maxentius — an imperial structure built in the 4th Century — the Napeolonic Museum, the Baracco Museum, the Carlo Bilotti Museum and the Pietro Canonica Museum.

Italy grapples with overtourism

Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world, and Rome and other popular tourist destinations have introduced measures to curb mass tourism.

Rome's Pantheon, a church and former Roman temple, introduced entrance fees in 2023.

In 2024, Venice, known for its iconic canals, began charging an access fee for day visitors during peak periods, doubling the price to €5 this year.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery