Well, one of the main reasons everyone makes a beeline for the Trevi among all the fountains in Rome is that it’s appeared in so many movies that it’s practically a movie star. From the iconic “Roman Holiday” to the decidedly less so “When in Rome” (yes, the Olsen twins movie), the Trevi Fountain is so instantly recognizable as being part of Rome that it’s been the ideal backdrop for films for decades. Even if you’re not a Fellini fan, you’ve at least seen clips of Anita Ekberg’s famous Trevi Fountain bathing scene from “La Dolce Vita,” and the tradition of throwing coins into the Trevi was the basis for an entire book and movie, “Three Coins in the Fountain.” In short, the Trevi is almost a Roman celebrity in its own right, and even though it’s usually horribly crowded and a haven for pickpockets and trinket sellers, it’s still worth a side-trip when you’re walking through the city.
Throwing Coins in the Trevi Fountain
As mentioned, there’s a long-standing tradition about throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain – spend a few minutes watching people at the fountain and you’ll see that this is the main reason many people stop by. The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi – with your back to the fountain, throwing the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder – that will ensure a return to Rome. Perhaps thanks in part to the film “Three Coins in the Fountain,” a newer story also routinely makes the rounds that says throwing one coin means a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage. You are welcome to believe (or not believe) either one – it all depends on your level of superstition, and the depth of your wallet!
(And clearly the whole thing about the “right hand over the left shoulder” isn’t even widely accepted, as a quick search through Flickr photos of people throwing coins into the fountain is testament to. I have no idea what good fortune the girls in the picture at the right thought the addition of crazy facial expressions might bring them.)
While there are regularly attempts to steal the coins from the bottom of the fountain, you may be pleased to know that the coins are collected every night and the funds have been used to fund a supermarket that serves the poor of Rome, the Italian Red Cross, as well as other local charities. And we’re not talking chump change, either – workers routinely pull roughly €3,000 per day out of the Trevi!
