The Spanish Steps are the grand 18th-century staircase linking Piazza di Spagna to the twin-towered church of Trinità dei Monti above. With 135 steps, a boat-shaped fountain at the bottom and a view over the rooftops from the top, the Spanish Steps have been a meeting point for travellers since the days of the Grand Tour. They are free to visit and have a metro station right next to them.
Why visit the Spanish Steps
The staircase was built in the 1720s, funded with a bequest from a French diplomat, to connect the French-owned church at the top with the square below. The square takes its name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which has been based there for centuries. Poets, painters and wealthy young travellers made this area their base in the 18th and 19th centuries, and John Keats died in a house at the foot of the steps.
The steps are wide, gently curving and broken by terraces, designed as much for strolling and being seen as for climbing. In spring they are often decorated with pots of azaleas.
Getting to the Spanish Steps by metro
The nearest station is Spagna on Line A, named after the square. It is only a couple of minutes' walk from Piazza di Spagna, which makes the Spanish Steps one of the easiest major sights in Rome to reach by metro.
- From Termini, Line A reaches Spagna in a few stops without changing.
- From the Vatican, take Line A from Ottaviano in the other direction.
- If you would rather avoid the climb, you can approach from the top along Via Sistina or the Pincio side and walk down the steps instead.
Rules and entry
There is no ticket and no closing time, but there are rules. Since 2019, sitting on the Spanish Steps is not allowed, and municipal police patrol the area and can issue fines. Eating on the steps, dragging wheeled suitcases down them and climbing into the fountain are also prohibited. You are free to walk up and down, stop for photos and admire the view.
The church of Trinità dei Monti at the top is free to enter outside services. Dress modestly if you go inside.
Best time to visit the Spanish Steps
Early morning is the best time for photographs, before the square fills with visitors. By late morning and through the evening the steps are crowded, especially in spring and summer. Sunset from the top, looking across the rooftops towards St Peter's dome, is lovely, but expect company.
The visit itself is short: 20 to 30 minutes is enough to climb the steps, look at the fountain and enjoy the view. Most people combine it with shopping or a walk to the Pincio terrace.
Highlights around the steps
The Barcaccia fountain
The fountain in the shape of a half-sunken boat at the foot of the steps was made in the early 17th century by Pietro Bernini, possibly with help from his son Gian Lorenzo. A legend links it to a boat stranded here by a flood of the Tiber.
Trinità dei Monti
The church at the top, with its two bell towers and an obelisk in front, gives the best viewpoint over the square and down Via dei Condotti.
The Keats-Shelley House
The house on the right of the steps, where Keats spent his last months, is now a small museum about the English Romantic poets. It is a paid visit; check its website for times.
Via dei Condotti
The street running straight out from the foot of the steps is lined with luxury fashion houses, and is also home to Antico Caffè Greco, one of the oldest cafés in Rome.
Nearby on the same metro stop
Spagna station is a good starting point for several walks:
- Villa Borghese and the Pincio: the park above the steps, with a terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo.
- Piazza del Popolo: about ten minutes north along Via del Babuino.
- The Trevi Fountain: roughly 15 minutes south on foot.
- Galleria Borghese: the art museum inside the park, reached on foot through the gardens.
Find more around this stop on the Spanish Steps on Around the Metro, or browse the full Rome metro map.