Walking From the Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain

Step-by-step route

1. Start: at the bottom of the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna, with the Barcaccia fountain). Face south, with the Steps behind you and the Trinità dei Monti church above. (0m)
2. Walk south on Via dei Due Macelli — the wide street that heads downhill away from Piazza di Spagna. (300m)
3. You'll arrive at the busy Largo del Tritone roundabout. Cross carefully (there are pedestrian lights) and walk a short stretch east along Via del Tritone. (150m)
4. Turn right onto Via della Stamperia — a small alley with a print shop and a marble workshop on the corner. (50m)
5. Walk 200 metres south on Via della Stamperia. Pass Vicus Caprarius (underground museum) on your left. (200m)
6. The street opens up — and the back of the Trevi Fountain piazza appears. Total: ~700 m, ~9 min.

The Galleria Sciarra extension

Galleria Sciarra, the frescoed Art Nouveau courtyard on Via Marco Minghetti, is one of the best free sights in central Rome — but it lies roughly 200 metres south of the Trevi Fountain. You reach it by continuing past the fountain, not by detouring on the way there.

Direct route (9 min)

Spanish Steps → Via dei Due Macelli → Largo del Tritone → Via della Stamperia → Trevi Fountain.

Extended route (+5 min)

Spanish Steps → Trevi Fountain → Via di Santa Maria in Via → Galleria Sciarra. Free, covered, and usually empty.

What you'll see along the way

• The Spanish Steps & Barcaccia fountain — Bernini's father designed the boat-shaped fountain at the bottom. Romans believe it commemorates a Tiber flood that left a boat stranded here.
• Sant'Andrea delle Fratte — 1-min detour west. Bernini sculpted two angels for the interior. Free, often empty.
• Via Condotti & Via Frattina (optional detour) — Rome's main luxury shopping streets, just south of the Steps. Add 5–10 minutes.
• Galleria Sciarra — a hidden Art Nouveau covered passage off Via di Santa Maria in Via, about 200 m south of the Trevi (an extension after the fountain, not a stop on the way). Painted in 1885 with frescoes celebrating "womanly virtues". Free entry.
• Vicus Caprarius — the "City of Water" underground museum, showing the ancient aqueduct that feeds the Trevi. €5, 30-min visit.

Perfect halfway coffee stop

Caffè Greco on Via Condotti is Rome's oldest café (opened 1760) — Casanova, Goethe, Wagner, Buffalo Bill and Hans Christian Andersen all drank coffee here. It's worth a visit, but it's not cheap (~€10 for a seated cappuccino in the historic rooms).

For a more local option: Pasticceria Camilla on Via degli Avignonesi (1-minute detour off Via dei Due Macelli) does a great cornetto + espresso for under €3 at the counter. Or wait for the Trevi and grab a quick coffee at a side-street bar in the rione Trevi.

Map & timing

The numbered pins below follow the exact route from the Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain. Click any pin for what to see at that stop.

• Distance: 700 m
• Walking time: 9 min (no stops), 25–40 min (with detours and shopping)
• Elevation: mostly downhill from Piazza di Spagna
• Surface: cobblestones (sampietrini) — sturdy shoes recommended

For a full interactive map of everything within a 10-min radius of the Trevi, see our Trevi Fountain map and nearby attractions guide.

Walking tips

• Walk it at blue hour (just after sunset). The Spanish Steps and the Trevi are both lit by then — book-ended by two of Rome's most photogenic monuments.
• Largo del Tritone is the busy bit. Cross at the lights, not mid-block — Roman drivers don't stop.
• Eating on the Spanish Steps is illegal (since 2019, €400 fine). Eat your gelato while walking, not while sitting.
• Pickpockets target this route. Keep bags zipped and in front, especially around Largo del Tritone.
• Combine with the Pantheon — from the Trevi it's an 8-min walk to the Pantheon (see our Pantheon walking guide). The full Spanish Steps → Trevi → Pantheon loop is one of the best 30-minute walks in Europe.

When you arrive, see our complete Trevi Fountain guide for the €2 close-up access, the coin ritual, and the best photo spots.

Continue reading about the Trevi Fountain

Plan the visit itself

• Complete Trevi Fountain visitor guide
• Trevi Fountain map & what's nearby
• Pantheon to Trevi walking route
• Spanish Steps to Trevi walk
• Half a day around the Trevi Fountain
• One day in Rome itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to walk from the Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain?

About 9 minutes (700 metres). With shopping or coffee stops, plan 20–40 minutes.

What is the best route from the Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain?

From the bottom of the Spanish Steps, take Via dei Due Macelli south, turn right onto Via del Tritone briefly, then left onto Via della Stamperia which leads directly to the Trevi.

Can I shop on the way from the Spanish Steps to the Trevi?

Yes — Via dei Due Macelli and the nearby Via Frattina, Via Borgognona and Via Condotti are full of mid-range and luxury boutiques.

Is it better to start at the Spanish Steps or the Trevi Fountain?

Start at the Spanish Steps. The Trevi reveal at the end of the walk is more dramatic, and the route goes mostly downhill.