Spanish Steps, Rome

Name: Spanish Steps
Address: Piazza di Spagna, Rome, 00187, Italy
Telephone: +39 090 8388 1200

#71 among attractions in Rome

Baroque architecture, Square

Gallery (15)

Map

Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Mark Ahsmann / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / 2pi.pl / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 / Tm / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Gzen92 / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Lamberto Zannotti / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Mstyslav Chernov / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Mark Ahsmann / URL

Facts and practical information

The Spanish Steps are an iconic monument in the heart of Rome, Italy, offering a picturesque stairway that has captivated visitors for centuries. Constructed between 1723 and 1725, the steps were designed by architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi. They connect the Piazza di Spagna at their base with the Piazza Trinità dei Monti, crowned by the stunning Trinità dei Monti church at the top.

Comprising 135 steps, the stairway is the widest staircase in Europe and has become a popular spot for tourists to sit and enjoy the ambiance of the Eternal City. The steps are not just a means of transit but a social hub, a place for people-watching, and a backdrop for countless photos.

At the base of the Spanish Steps, one can find the Fontana della Barcaccia, a charming fountain designed by Pietro Bernini and his more famous son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The name translates to the "Fountain of the Ugly Boat," inspired by a historical flood of the Tiber River that left a boat stranded in the square.

The Spanish Steps are also famous for their floral decorations in the spring, when pots of pink azaleas line the stairway, enhancing its beauty. The area around the steps is a fashion mecca, home to high-end boutiques and designer showrooms. The nearby Via dei Condotti is a haven for those looking to shop luxury brands.

The monument's name derives from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which was historically located in the Piazza di Spagna. Over the years, the Spanish Steps have featured in numerous films and literary works, adding to their cultural significance and global fame.

Visitors should note that sitting on the Spanish Steps is no longer permitted to preserve the monument's integrity. Nonetheless, ascending the steps provides a unique perspective of the city and a chance to admire the Baroque architecture up close.

Alternative names: Opened: 1725 (299 years ago)Architectural style: BaroqueSteps: 135Coordinates: 41°54'22"N, 12°28'58"E

Address

Piazza di SpagnaCampo MarzioRome 00187 Italy

Contact

+39 090 8388 1200

Website

Social media

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Rome

Day trips

Spanish Steps – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Via Condotti, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana della Barcaccia, Trinità dei Monti.

~330 ftSW
Street, Shopping, Shopping district
Via Condotti, Rome
2 min walk • Nestled in the heart of Rome, Via Condotti stands as the epitome of luxury and sophistication in the Eternal City. This illustrious shopping district is where the world's most affluent shoppers come to indulge in the finest retail therapy.
~190 ftW
Baroque architecture, Square, Architecture
Piazza di Spagna, Rome
1 min walk • Piazza di Spagna, with its grand staircase and charming atmosphere, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Rome, Italy. This bustling square is named after the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which has been located here since the 17th century.
~180 ftSW
Baroque fountain by the Spanish Steps
Fontana della Barcaccia, Rome
1 min walk • Nestled in the vibrant heart of Rome, the Fontana della Barcaccia is a baroque-style fountain that offers a serene respite from the bustling city streets. This unique water feature is located at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna, one of the city's most...
~270 ftNE
Renaissance church next to Spanish Steps
Trinità dei Monti, Rome
2 min walk • The church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti, often called merely the Trinità dei Monti, is a Roman Catholic late Renaissance titular church in Rome, central Italy. It is best known for its position above the Spanish Steps which lead down to the famous Piazza di Spagna. The church and its surrounding area are a French State property.
~840 ftN
Vernacular architecture, Architecture, Art museum
Villa Medici, Rome
5 min walk • The Villa Medici is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy.
~120 ftSW
Museum, Historical place
Keats-Shelley Memorial House, Rome
1 min walk • The Keats–Shelley Memorial House is a writer's house museum in Rome, Italy, commemorating the Romantic poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
~640 ftW
Baroque architecture, Vernacular architecture, Palace
Palazzo Malta, Rome
4 min walk • Palazzo Malta, officially named as the Magistral Palace, and also known as Palazzo di Malta or Palazzo dell'Ordine di Malta, is the more important of the two headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a Roman Catholic lay religious order and a sovereign subject of international law.
~1230 ftSW
Baroque architecture, Church
San Silvestro in Capite, Rome
6 min walk • The Basilica of Saint Sylvester the First, also known as, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and titular church in Rome dedicated to Pope Sylvester I.
~360 ftSE
Palace
Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli, Rome
2 min walk • Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli is a late-Renaissance palace in Rome, overlooking Piazza Mignanelli and Piazza di Spagna. The palace was built around 1575 by Alessandro Moschetti for count Girolamo Gabrielli, of a noble family from Gubbio.
~920 ftS
Baroque architecture, Church, Sacred and religious sites
Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, Rome
5 min walk • Sant'Andrea delle Fratte is a 17th-century basilica church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to St. Andrew. The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Andreae Apostoli de Hortis is Ennio Antonelli.
~320 ftE
Palace, Architecture
Palazzo Zuccari, Rome
2 min walk • Palazzo Zuccari, also called Palazzetto Zuccheri, is a 16th-century residence, located at the crossroads of via Sistina and via Gregoriana, with a Mannerist 16th-century facades on the latter street and a late Baroque facade on the piazza Trinità dei Monti in the Campo Marzio neighborhood of Rome, Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Spanish Steps?

Nearby attractions include Keats-Shelley Memorial House, Rome (1 min walk), Fontana della Barcaccia, Rome (1 min walk), Piazza di Spagna, Rome (1 min walk), Giorgio de Chirico House Museum, Rome (1 min walk).

How to get to Spanish Steps by public transport?

The nearest stations to Spanish Steps:

Metro

Spagna • Lines: A (3 min walk)
Barberini • Lines: A (9 min walk)

Bus

Tritone/Fontana di Trevi • Lines: 160, 492, 53, 62, 63, 71, 83, 85, C3, n12, n25, n4, n5 (7 min walk)
San Claudio • Lines: 160, 492, 51, 53, 62, 63, 71, 80, 83, 85, n12, n4, n5 (8 min walk)

Ferry

Ponte Cavour (12 min walk)
Sant'Angelo • Lines: Battelli di Roma (21 min walk)

Tram

Flaminio • Lines: 2 (15 min walk)
Galleria Arte Moderna • Lines: 19, 3 (19 min walk)

Light rail

Flaminio • Lines: Fc3 (15 min walk)
Roma Termini • Lines: Fl6, Fl7 (28 min walk)

Trolleybus

XX Settembre/Min. Finanze • Lines: 90 (18 min walk)
Volturno/Cernaia • Lines: 90 (22 min walk)

Train

Roma Termini (28 min walk)