Tourist crosses Rome's Trevi Fountain to refill their water bottle

 

 

 

        The footage, which was shot last month, shows the woman traversing a variety of rocks to reach the landmark's center as bystanders gasp in terror.

 

          She fills her bottle with water from the fountain's spout and starts to leave when a guard whistles and approaches.

 

Before the security removes the visitor, the two have a brief conversation. What happened to the visitor following the incident, including whether she was detained or penalized, is still unknown.

 

The city's most well-known feature, the fountain, can incur fines of up to 500 euros for those who enter it.

 

According to legend, those who toss a coin into its waters will return to Rome.

 

For the Catholic charity Caritas, about 1.1-1.6 million euros ($1.1-$1.6 million) in coins are collected annually. During peak tourist seasons, the fountain receives about 3,000 euros ($3,200) every day in donations, according to Rome's tourism bureau.

 

The fountain is currently located just below the square. Visitors must descend stairs to access it, but once there, they frequently stay there or hang on the edge of the fountain, prompting calls for police roadblocks and constant foot patrols along the nearby roadways.

Since COVID-19 ended, there have been an unprecedented amount of foreign travelers visiting Rome, and some have accused them of disrespecting the city's iconic landmarks.

 

Two American tourists damaged the Spanish Steps in Rome in June of last year for a total of $25,000. A month earlier, a Saudi visitor crashed his rented Maserati down the travertine staircase, breaking two of the steps.

 

The 2,000-year-old Colosseum in Rome was reportedly vandalized by a tourist last month, leading Italy's cultural minister to order a manhunt to find the offender and his companion.

Tourists regularly swim in Venice's canals, which also serve as the city's sewage system, in other parts of Italy. Two Australians surfed down the Grand Canal in August of last year, and Americans stripped off for a skinny dip next to the iconic Arsenale from the 14th century in May.

 

An Australian also rode his moped around Pompeii in August of last year, while an American shattered two precious artworks in the Vatican Museum in October, ostensibly because he was told he couldn't meet the pope.

 

A costly statue was allegedly knocked down at a home in northern Italy earlier this month by a group of young German visitors who were posing for photos to publish on social media, according to the manager of the villa.