Spanish Steps

Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti / Piazza di Spagna

The 135-step baroque staircase where Audrey Hepburn ate ice cream in Roman Holiday. At the bottom is the Fontana della Barcaccia, and along Via Condotti are luxury boutiques. At the top, the Trinità dei Monti church overlooks the rooftops of Rome.

The Spanish Steps were built between 1723 and 1725. There are 135 steps, connecting the Piazza di Spagna below with the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. They are named after the Spanish Embassy beside the square. They are one of the widest and most famous staircases in Europe. The 1953 film Roman Holiday, in which Audrey Hepburn eats ice cream here, made them a symbol of romantic Rome. At the foot of the steps is the Fontana della Barcaccia ('Fountain of the Old Boat') designed by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It commemorates a small boat that was carried here when the Tiber flooded in 1598. To the right of the steps is the Keats-Shelley House, where the English poet John Keats died. Via Condotti runs southwest from the square and is the heart of Rome's luxury shopping, with Gucci, Prada, the flagship Bulgari store, and Valentino. At the corner stands the Antico Caffè Greco, the oldest café in Rome, opened in 1760. Each April and May, thousands of azaleas fill the steps, and at Christmas there are lights and a nativity scene. The viewing terrace at the top overlooks the square and the rooftops of Rome. It is especially lovely at sunset. Further up, you can reach the viewpoints on Pincio Hill and in Villa Borghese. Entry is free, and Spagna station on metro line A is right there. Note: since 2019, sitting on the steps has been banned, with fines of about 250 to 400 euros. Eating and drinking on the steps is also prohibited. Pickpockets and vendors selling roses and bracelets are common around the square. Before 8 a.m., the steps are almost empty, which makes it the best time for photos.

Spanish Steps

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