Barcaccia Fountain (Fontana della Barcaccia) Tours and Tickets

Q: How much does it cost to visit the Barcaccia Fountain in 2025?

The Barcaccia Fountain, a public landmark located in front of the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna, is free to visit. If you’d prefer to see the fountain through a local expert’s eyes, join a guided tour of Rome’s best-known squares, fountains, and outdoor sculptures—prices start at US$75.

Q: What is the history behind the Barcaccia Fountain?

Architect Pietro Bernini, father of the famed sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, designed the Barcaccia Fountain, which was built in the late 1620s. It was one of many built in the 16th and 17th centuries, when Pope Urban VIII Barberini commissioned renovations of major Roman squares crossed by the Virgin Aqueduct.

Q: Are there any interesting stories or legends about the Barcaccia Fountain?

Yes. The fountain’s name—barcaccia means “old boat” in Italian—nods to its boat-shaped basin and Rome’s devastating 1598 Christmas flood. It’s said that waters from the flooded Tiber carried a boat to this spot in Piazza di Spagna, which is perhaps why Bernini created a fountain resembling a sinking ship.

Q: Can you touch the water in the Barcaccia Fountain?

Yes, you can touch the Barcaccia Fountain for drinking purposes. It’s one of Rome’s most decorative nasoni (drinking fountains), which have provided the city with drinking water for more than a century. Fill your bottle from the spouts coming out of the boat—just don’t splash around in the protected monument.

Q: Do any guided tours visit the Barcaccia Fountain?

Yes, guided tours visit the Barcaccia Fountain. See it alongside Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps on a Rome sightseeing tour, or choose an art and architecture tour. Some experiences focus on Rome’s squares and fountains, while others spotlight the Barcaccia Fountain among other baroque and Renaissance works.

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Know before you go

Barcaccia Fountain (Fontana della Barcaccia)

Sitting on and bathing in the fountain is forbidden, though you can drink the water from the fountain spouts.
The fountain is encircled by a low metal fence and is not accessible to wheelchair users.
The house where English poet John Keats lived, now a museum dedicated to his memory and works, is located just opposite the fountain.
Be aware of your surroundings and watch for peddlers who will thrust a rose or other souvenir into your hand and then demand payment.

Barcaccia Fountain (Fontana della Barcaccia) Tours and Tickets

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Barcaccia Fountain (Fontana della Barcaccia)

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