Endless Coins in the Fountain

Location:
Italy

Trevi Fountain moment

By Tina Donvito

The Colosseum. The Sistine Chapel. The Spanish Steps. Every city has them, these over-touristed spots that you must go to see when you visit. Even if you, as a traveler, hate over-touristed spots. Getting off the train in

Rome, I was prepared to be bombarded by the tourist crowds, and I was.

That day there was a taxi strike (strikes in Italy, as anyone who's ever

visited will tell you, are common). So my husband and I decided to walk

across Rome from the train station to our hotel near Piazza Navona. Pulling

our suitcases behind us, we quickly became confused by Rome's tangle of

streets and lack of street signs, and thus used the markers pointing to

popular tourist spots to guide our way. We approached the first, the Trevi

Fountain, through a series of small, narrow lanes, which unexpectedly opened up to Bernini's masterpiece — a white, roaring giant that instantly brought a smile to our travel-weary faces. Suitcases and all, we took pictures of ourselves at street level in front of the beast. It was crowded and loud, but one of those spots that you just have to see. Gathering up our

suitcases, we moved on.

But I had an inkling that the best way to see the fountain (and to throw

our requisite coins in) would be at night, even though the crowds were not

likely to diminish. So after dinner we returned to it, and I was wholly

unprepared for what I saw. It wasn't even the fountain itself that took my

breath away, although in the dark it appears gleaming and magical, almost

unearthly. It was, surprisingly, the crowds that gathered around it that had

me mesmerized. So many people, all there to throw their coin in the

fountain, to sit by it holding hands with their lover, to take a picture in

front of it with their best friends, to kiss by its romantic waters.

Why this fountain, this place? Something, tradition or beauty, was

inspiring this overflowing of joy. At night, it wasn't just a stop on the

list of sights to see in Rome. A sense of calm and peace pervaded the little

piazza, as if everyone knew that now wasn't a time to move on to the next

sight, but to linger and enjoy each other's company in the presence of this

glorious creation. It felt as if all of these people, these strangers, were

brought together in a celebration of life and love. Here we are all were,

united by this bond: throwing a coin over a left shoulder, taking a picture

with a loved one. Throwing a coin into water has always been act of hope —

here, that purpose was magnified, and flowed out of the fountain with its

water.

After sitting in the little amphitheater of seats that surrounds the Trevi, we walked back up to the street and leaned on the railing. I found myself a voyeur, watching people below take pictures while celebrating an

anniversary, like us, or a honeymoon, or even a class trip. People asking

strangers to take their picture and then offering to reciprocate, eating

gelato, drinking a beer, snuggling arm in arm. I started taking pictures of

the crowd in order to remember this communal experience. Everyone was

smiling. No one was sad. It was one of the happiest places I've ever been.

Further Information

Travel tips: Come at night - it's magical

Must see/do at this place: Throw in a coin: Stand with your back to the fountain, hold coin in your right hand and toss over your left shoulder. This guarantees your return to Rome.

You should avoid here: There are many rose-sellers and those who offer to take your picture with a Polaroid-type camera. Don't bother - it's romantic enough without a rose, and any other visitor would be happy to take your picture with your own camera. They will probably ask you to reciprocate!