Spanish Steps

Spanish Steps, Rome

The Spanish Steps are named for the Spanish Embassy, funded by a French diplomat, and owned by France, which makes them arguably the most nationally ambiguous landmark in Rome. All 138 steps were restored between 2015 and 2016 using private funding from Bulgari (the jeweller has its flagship store two minutes away on Via Condotti), which seems appropriate for a staircase in the middle of Rome’s luxury shopping district.

They connect the Piazza di Spagna below to the Trinità dei Monti church above. This kind of buried contradiction feels appropriate for Rome.

They’re worth visiting but worth visiting correctly. At midday in summer, the steps are shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists and the surrounding streets are full of every variety of overpriced café. Come early, before 08:00, and they’re quiet, the light is better, and the city feels different. Come in the evening and it’s a reasonable place to sit.

Eating or drinking on the steps is now banned and enforced with fines up to €400. This was introduced after persistent issues with damage to the travertine. The rule extends to sitting with food bought from nearby outlets.

The Area

The streets immediately east and north, Via Condotti, Via Borgognona, Via Frattina, are Rome’s main luxury shopping district. Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Bulgari (whose flagship is two minutes from the steps). This is worth knowing because the food options in this immediate area are calibrated for shoppers on expense accounts.

For a drink that won’t require a second mortgage, walk ten minutes northeast to the Prati neighbourhood. For good coffee, avoid anywhere on the main tourist circuit and look for somewhere locals are standing at the bar.

Caffè Greco on Via Condotti has been operating since 1760 and has the portrait-lined rooms to prove it. It’s expensive (espresso at the table costs around €4-5), the service is stiff, and it’s full of tourists. It is also genuinely old, which most things in Rome aren’t.

What’s Near

The Trevi Fountain is a 15-minute walk east through the centro storico. It’s considerably more impressive in person than photographs suggest, very large, genuinely spectacular baroque sculpture, but the surrounding area is extremely congested. Arriving before 07:00 is the only way to see it without a crowd.

Piazza del Popolo is a 20-minute walk north. Quieter, with better cafés, two early Caravaggio paintings in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo (the Conversion of Saint Paul and the Crucifixion of Saint Peter), and access to the Borghese Gardens above.

Where to Stay

The Tridente neighbourhood surrounding the steps is central and has the full range of options from mid-range to very expensive. For better value, Prati (across the Tiber) or Trastevere offer good transport connections and more local atmosphere.

Getting There

The Spagna Metro station (Line A) exits directly at the base of the steps. From Termini station it’s two stops.