Straight answers
The questions people actually arrive with.
The 2019 urban decorum rules made it fineable and it is enforced by whistle. The €700 published here is above the €500 ceiling art. 7-bis of the Testo unico puts on a municipal ordinance, so the figure needs its own statute or it is wrong.
€250–€700Behaviour · High
Since August 2019, sitting, lying down, or placing luggage on the Spanish Steps is prohibited. The rule protects the 18th-century monument restored at a cost of €1.5 million. Enforcement is active with whistle-wielding officials in high-vis vests patrolling. Eating, drinking, and staining the steps also carry fines.
You can walk up and down the steps and take photos, but do not sit down. Use the benches in Piazza di Spagna at the bottom or grab a seat at a nearby café.
Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), including all 135 steps and surrounding balustrades.
Wading, dipping and climbing are all out, and since 2025 the fountain has a timed entry ticket as well. Throwing a coin is still the one thing you are meant to do.
€200–€500Behaviour · Medium
NEW from February 2, 2026: a €2 ticket is required to descend the steps to the close-up area around the Trevi Fountain. Viewing from the piazza above remains FREE. Expected to apply mainly during peak daytime hours; nighttime likely unrestricted. Rome residents exempt. Swimming, wading, or dipping feet in the Trevi Fountain is strictly prohibited — one tourist was fined €500 and banned for life after jumping in while drunk. Coin fishing (retrieving coins thrown by visitors) is illegal and considered theft, as coins are donated to charity.
Pay the €2 to descend to the fountain, or view for free from the piazza above. Toss a coin over your shoulder — that's the tradition. Never step into the water or reach for coins.
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) and its basin. €2 ticket for close-up steps area.
Eating and drinking at a monument is its own offence, separate from sitting, and separate again from the night-time street-drinking ban. Each carries its own figure.
€160–€400Behaviour · Medium
Consuming food and drink while sitting on or leaning against historic monuments, fountains, and church steps is banned in Rome's historic centre. This includes eating on fountain ledges, picnicking on monument steps, or leaving food wrappers near protected sites. No picnics on ancient ruins.
Eat at restaurants, trattorias, or designated seating areas. If you grab street food, find a bench in a park away from monuments.
All historic monuments, fountains, and church steps in Rome's centro storico, including Piazza Navona, the Pantheon area, and Piazza del Popolo.
The ZTL cameras charge per pass, so an afternoon of wrong turns becomes several fines rather than one. Hotels inside the zone can register a plate for you.
€80–€300Transport · Medium
Rome's city centre is covered by ZTL zones where private vehicles are banned during certain hours. Cameras automatically record licence plates and fines are mailed — including to rental car companies, who pass the fine on plus an admin fee. Many tourists unknowingly drive into ZTL zones following GPS.
Do not drive into Rome's centre. Use public transport, taxis, or walk. If you must drive, check Roma Mobilità's ZTL map. If staying inside a ZTL, have your hotel register your licence plate.
Centro Storico, Trastevere, Testaccio, San Lorenzo, and other designated ZTL zones. Marked by electronic signs with 'ZTL' in a red circle.
15 Rome rules
Highest risk first. Open any row for the detail. 2 more come from Italy law — listed below.
Since August 2019, sitting, lying down, or placing luggage on the Spanish Steps is prohibited. The rule protects the 18th-century monument restored at a cost of €1.5 million. Enforcement is active with whistle-wielding officials in high-vis vests patrolling. Eating, drinking, and staining the steps also carry fines.
Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), including all 135 steps and surrounding balustrades.
Rome municipal police ordinance, August 2019; enforced under urban decorum regulations.
You can walk up and down the steps and take photos, but do not sit down. Use the benches in Piazza di Spagna at the bottom or grab a seat at a nearby café.
NEW from February 2, 2026: a €2 ticket is required to descend the steps to the close-up area around the Trevi Fountain. Viewing from the piazza above remains FREE. Expected to apply mainly during peak daytime hours; nighttime likely unrestricted. Rome residents exempt. Swimming, wading, or dipping feet in the Trevi Fountain is strictly prohibited — one tourist was fined €500 and banned for life after jumping in while drunk. Coin fishing (retrieving coins thrown by visitors) is illegal and considered theft, as coins are donated to charity.
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) and its basin. €2 ticket for close-up steps area.
Rome urban police regulations; Trevi Fountain €2 ticket announced for February 2, 2026; estimated €6.5M annual revenue.
Pay the €2 to descend to the fountain, or view for free from the piazza above. Toss a coin over your shoulder — that's the tradition. Never step into the water or reach for coins.
Dipping your feet, hands, or any body part into Rome's historic fountains is prohibited. Rome has over 2,000 fountains, many centuries old. This applies to ALL ornamental and historic fountains, not just famous ones.
All historic and ornamental fountains throughout Rome.
Rome urban police regulations.
Admire from a respectful distance. If you need to cool off, use one of Rome's many 'nasoni' — the small free drinking water fountains found on street corners throughout the city.
Rome restricts the sale and consumption of alcohol in public spaces during nighttime in several neighbourhoods. Shops cannot sell takeaway alcohol after 10pm (9pm for glass containers in some zones). Street drinking from glass bottles is banned during these hours.
Trastevere, Centro Storico, San Lorenzo, Testaccio, Monti, and other designated nightlife zones.
Rome municipal alcohol ordinances; neighbourhood-specific regulations.
Drink at bars and restaurants with seating. Don't carry open bottles late at night. Consume any shop-bought alcohol at your accommodation.
Urinating in public spaces is an offence under both municipal and national law. If caught near a historic monument, additional charges under cultural heritage protection laws may apply.
All public spaces, with heavy enforcement in Trastevere, Campo de' Fiori, and near the Colosseum.
Italian municipal law; Rome urban police regulations.
Use bar or restaurant restrooms — most will let you use the toilet if you buy a small coffee. Public toilets available near major sites for €1.
All train and metro tickets in Rome must be validated (stamped) before boarding. Travelling with an unvalidated ticket is treated the same as travelling without a ticket. Inspectors regularly check on buses, trams, and metro.
All buses, trams, metro lines, and regional trains in Rome.
ATAC Roma public transport regulations; Italian transport code.
Always stamp your ticket in the yellow validation machine BEFORE boarding. Keep your validated ticket until you exit — inspectors can check at any point.
Consuming food and drink while sitting on or leaning against historic monuments, fountains, and church steps is banned in Rome's historic centre. This includes eating on fountain ledges, picnicking on monument steps, or leaving food wrappers near protected sites. No picnics on ancient ruins.
All historic monuments, fountains, and church steps in Rome's centro storico, including Piazza Navona, the Pantheon area, and Piazza del Popolo.
Rome municipal urban decorum regulations.
Eat at restaurants, trattorias, or designated seating areas. If you grab street food, find a bench in a park away from monuments.
Dragging wheeled suitcases, coolers, and trolleys down Rome's historic stairways is banned. Hard wheels cause significant erosion to centuries-old travertine and marble.
Spanish Steps, Trinità dei Monti stairway, and other designated historic stairways.
Rome urban decorum regulations, 2019.
Carry your luggage rather than dragging it. Use luggage storage near Termini station. Plan routes that avoid dragging bags across monuments.
Rome's city centre is covered by ZTL zones where private vehicles are banned during certain hours. Cameras automatically record licence plates and fines are mailed — including to rental car companies, who pass the fine on plus an admin fee. Many tourists unknowingly drive into ZTL zones following GPS.
Centro Storico, Trastevere, Testaccio, San Lorenzo, and other designated ZTL zones. Marked by electronic signs with 'ZTL' in a red circle.
Roma Mobilità ZTL regulations; Italian traffic code.
Do not drive into Rome's centre. Use public transport, taxis, or walk. If you must drive, check Roma Mobilità's ZTL map. If staying inside a ZTL, have your hotel register your licence plate.
Attaching padlocks to bridges and public structures in Rome is prohibited. The practice caused structural damage on Ponte Milvio. Rome periodically removes locks.
Ponte Milvio, Ponte Sant'Angelo, and all bridges and public structures.
Rome municipal ordinance banning love locks on public structures.
Take a photo together at the bridge instead. Express your love in ways that don't damage historic infrastructure.
Flying drones over Rome's historic centre, Vatican City, and archaeological sites is heavily restricted. Rome's airspace is restricted due to Vatican City proximity, military zones, and dense protected sites.
Rome's historic centre, Vatican City, archaeological sites, parks, and areas near airports and military zones.
EU Regulation 2019/947 on unmanned aircraft operations, plus the national civil aviation authority. Penalties are set nationally and none of the authorities consulted publishes a figure; the amount previously shown could not be traced to any instrument.
Check the national drone map before you pack it, not after you land. Historic centres, coastlines near airports and anything archaeological are restricted by default, and the usual outcome is losing the drone.
The Vatican (St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums) and virtually all of Rome's churches enforce a strict dress code. Both men and women must cover shoulders and knees. Guards at the Vatican actively check visitors and refuse entry — no refunds on Vatican tickets. Santa Maria Maggiore also enforces this strictly. The Pantheon has a ticketing system in place.
Vatican City (St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums) and all major churches.
Vatican City dress code policy; Rome church entry guidelines.
Pack a lightweight scarf or shawl for your shoulders. Wear trousers or a long skirt covering the knees. You won't be fined, but you will be denied entry with no refunds.
People dressed as Roman gladiators around the Colosseum aggressively offer to pose for photos, then demand €20-50 or more. Rome has issued ordinances prohibiting these activities in protected archaeological areas. Engaging often leads to intimidation.
Around the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Rome municipal ordinances banning unlicensed street performers near monuments.
Politely but firmly decline. Do not take photos with costumed individuals unless you're prepared to pay whatever they demand. Walk toward police if harassed.
Italian law requires everyone to carry valid identification. Police can stop and ask for ID at any time. Tourists should carry their passport or a photocopy.
Everywhere in Rome and Italy.
Italian public security laws (Testo Unico di Pubblica Sicurezza).
Carry your passport or a clear photocopy at all times. A photo on your phone may not be accepted by police.
Rome charges a mandatory tourist tax per person per night varying by accommodation star rating: approximately €3 for budget accommodations up to €7 for 5-star hotels. Applies for the first 10 nights. Children under 10 typically exempt.
All hotels, B&Bs, vacation rentals, hostels, and accommodations in the Municipality of Rome.
Rome Municipality (Comune di Roma) tourist tax regulations.
This is mandatory. Budget €3-7 per person per night on top of your room cost. Keep receipts.
Also everywhere in Italy
National law, written once for Italy and inherited by every city page.