Our first stop in Rome was the Trevi Fountain, the largest and most famous fountain in the city. After a design competition ordered by Pope Clement XII, Nicola Salvi’s plan was built between 1732 and 1762 against the wall of Palazzo Poli, a late masterpiece of Roman Baroque.
The name Trevi comes from “tre vie,” the three roads, said to be where the world’s roads meet. The white marble scene shows Oceanus, god of the sea, riding a shell-shaped chariot pulled by seahorses, with Tritons guiding his way. Because the whole fountain was carved to look like a single piece of stone, you cannot see any joints up close.
Its water comes from the Virgin Spring, named for a legend in which a young woman showed thirsty soldiers where the spring was. Another legend says that tossing a coin into the fountain brings you back to Rome: one coin for a return, two for love, three for a breakup. The coins are collected regularly and given to charity.
The fountain sits about a 15-minute walk from the Spanish Steps. When we visited, the square was packed, mostly with tourists. A street vendor approached us and said something that made us smile, and we watched a beautiful baby held tight by her father or grandfather.
We ended the day with group photos as the sun set over the Trevi Fountain. It had been a very long day.
Prices, hours and details in this post are from our visit in January 2008 and may have changed, so check the latest information before you go.