Villa Medici
Rome, Italy
Spanish Steps, Rome
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Photo: Fallaner, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, 24 hours
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, free
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 20 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Steps
- 135, with several landings
- Not allowed
- Sitting, eating or drinking on the steps — fined
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 20–30 minutes with the piazza and the view from the top
- At the top
- Trinità dei Monti church and the Sallustiano obelisk
- Location
- Piazza di Spagna; Metro A Spagna exits at the bottom
Key facts
1723–1725built to a design by Francesco de Sanctis
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English Wikipedia135steps from Piazza di Spagna to the church at the top
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English WikipediaGueffiera French diplomat left the money to build them
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English WikipediaSpanish Embassyto the Holy See on the square gave the steps their name
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English Wikipedia1627–1629the Barcaccia fountain below, by Pietro and Gian Lorenzo Bernini
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English Wikipedia2019Rome banned sitting on the steps
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Rome urban police regulationsCan you sit on the Spanish Steps?
No. Since 2019, Rome's urban police rules ban sitting, eating and drinking on the Spanish Steps. Officers stand at the bottom and blow whistles at anyone who sits down, and offenders can be fined — sources quote €250 to €400. Walking up and down and taking photos are fine.
Spanish Steps history
For centuries the slope between the square and the French church of Trinità dei Monti was a muddy bank of paths. A French diplomat, Étienne Gueffier, left money in his will for a proper staircase, but popes and the French crown argued about the design for decades. The steps were finally built in 1723–1725 by Francesco de Sanctis.
The square at the bottom is Piazza di Spagna, named after the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, based here since the 17th century — hence the English name. In Italian it's officially the *Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti*.
Design and what surrounds it
De Sanctis made the staircase deliberately theatrical: flights split and rejoin, wide terraces alternate with narrow runs, so people above and below watch each other like an audience. It's a textbook piece of late Roman Baroque. In spring the landings are lined with pots of flowering azaleas.
At the top stand the 16th-century church of Trinità dei Monti, with its twin bell towers, and the Egyptian-style Sallustiano obelisk. At the bottom is the Barcaccia, 'the little boat', a fountain by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo, said to recall a boat washed up here by a Tiber flood.
What to see around the Spanish Steps
- Barcaccia fountain — at the foot; its water is drinkable, like most Roman fountains.
- Keats-Shelley House — to the right of the steps, where John Keats lived in 1821.
- Trinità dei Monti — free to enter, with Daniele da Volterra's Deposition inside.
- The view from the top — over Piazza di Spagna and Via Condotti to the dome of St Peter's.
- Via Condotti — Rome's luxury shopping street, starting at the foot of the steps.
- Column of the Immaculate Conception — at the southern end of the square by the embassy.
How to get to the Spanish Steps
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Villa Medici is about 4 min away on foot.
- Via del Corso is about 6 min away on foot.
- Mausoleum of Augustus is about 8 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Spagna — the exit opens at the bottom of the steps.
- From the Trevi Fountain, along Via dei Due Macelli: 10–12 minutes.
- From Piazza del Popolo, down Via del Babuino: about 10 minutes.
- To skip the climb, take the lift inside Spagna station up to Via di Trinità dei Monti.
Best time to visit
Before 9am the steps are nearly empty and the light is soft — ideal for photos. By midday hundreds of people fill them, and sunset is busier still, with views of the domes from the top. In late April and early May the azaleas go out, and in December a nativity scene appears on the square.
Are the Spanish Steps worth it?
Yes, as part of a walk: they're free, right by the metro and between the Trevi Fountain, Piazza del Popolo and the Pincio gardens. The steps alone take twenty minutes, but do climb to the top — the rooftop view from Trinità dei Monti is one of the best in the centre. Shoppers can carry straight on down Via Condotti.
Before you go
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Rome's squares and streets: compare and choose
Squares and walking spots in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Trevi Fountain | 79 | 20 min | Free; basin €2 | 10 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Forum | 63 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 27 min walk |
| Spanish Stepsyou are here | 62 | 20 min | Free | — |
| Capitoline Hill | 58 | 30 min | Free | 25 min walk |
| Piazza Navona | 56 | 30 min | Free | 20 min walk |
| Palatine Hill | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 35 min walk |
| St Peter's Square | 54 | 30 min | Free | 37 min walk |
| Piazza Venezia | 53 | 20 min | Free | 19 min walk |
| Piazza del Popolo | 50 | 30 min | Free | 13 min walk |
| Appian Way | 49 | 3 h | Free | 8.3 km |
| Villa Borghese | 48 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 15 min walk |
| Campo de' Fiori | 47 | 30 min | Free | 25 min walk |
| Trastevere | 44 | 2 h | Free | 44 min walk |
| Pincio | 43 | 40 min | Free | 12 min walk |
| Via del Corso | 43 | 1 h | Free | 6 min walk |
| Aventine Keyhole | 42 | 45 min | Free | 44 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 23 min walk |
| EUR District | 38 | 2 h | Free | 7.9 km |
| Testaccio | 38 | 2 h | Free | 3.4 km |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 23.4 km |
Spanish Steps to Piazza del Popolo
The Spanish Steps early, then up past Villa Medici to the Pincio gardens, and down to Piazza del Popolo.
- Spanish Stepsyou are here20 min · Free
- 4 min walk from the previous stopVilla Medici1 h 30 min · Paid, scheduled tours
- 8 min walk from the previous stopPincio40 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopPiazza del Popolo30 min · Free
4 places · about 3 h 17 min with walks · 17 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Before 9am the steps are nearly empty.
- No sitting — the police are strict.
- The Barcaccia's water is safe to drink.
- The lift in Spagna station takes you to the top.
Questions
Can you sit on the Spanish Steps?
No — since 2019 sitting, eating and drinking on the steps are banned and fined.
How many Spanish Steps are there?
135.
Why are they called the Spanish Steps?
After Piazza di Spagna, home of the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See since the 17th century.
Who designed the Spanish Steps?
Francesco de Sanctis, in 1723–1725.
Are the Spanish Steps free?
Yes, free and open 24 hours.
What is at the top of the Spanish Steps?
The church of Trinità dei Monti and the Sallustiano obelisk, with a view over the city.
When is the best time to visit?
Before 9am for space; late April to early May for the azaleas.
What's near the Spanish Steps?
The Barcaccia fountain, Keats-Shelley House, Via Condotti, and the Trevi Fountain 10 minutes away.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, Spanish Steps
- Roma Capitale: urban police regulations
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