The eternal city is engaged in a constant battle to prevent tourists from damaging its ancient monuments

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Rome is cracking down on anyone hoping to recreate Anita Ekberg’s dip in the Trevi fountain in the film La Dolce Vita, imposing fines for bad behaviour in and around the city’s watery wonders.

One of Italy’s most visited cities, Rome has long struggled to protect treasures such as the Colosseum and prevent tourists paddling in its sculpted fountains.

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Angry headlines in Italian newspapers as temperatures have risen in recent weeks have included “The incivility continues: Tourists in the fountains and the flowerbeds” and “Monuments under attack”.

Mayor Virginia Raggi on Monday said people caught picnicking or camping out on the fountains’ pedestals, putting their feet in the water or going for a swim would be fined up to €240.

“We need to protect our city, and good behaviour is important,” Raggi, a member of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said in a video posted on Facebook.

The decree imposing the fines, which start from a minimum of €40, is valid for the summer season until 31 October.

“Rome’s police has been tasked with monitoring these sites even more closely,” Raggi said in the video, filmed overlooking the imposing white Altar of the Fatherland in central Rome.

As well as the Trevi, the list of monuments marked out for extra protection includes the 500 year-old Barcaccia, a boat-shaped fountain at the foot of the Spanish Steps which was badly chipped by drunken football supporters in 2015.