Kiwi man fined $920, banned for life from Rome’s Trevi Fountain after drunken swim attempt

A 30-year-old New Zealand man has been barred from visiting Rome's Trevi Fountain for life. Photo / Getty Images

A New Zealand man caught trying to swim in Rome’s world-famous Trevi Fountain over the weekend has been slapped with a hefty fine and barred from ever visiting the monument again.

The man has been described as an unidentified 30-year-old Kiwi living in London, on holiday with two friends in Italy. In the early hours of Sunday morning (local time), he was reportedly spotted by local police attempting to get into the fountain with his two friends, said to also be New Zealanders.

A spokesperson for Rome’s Capital Police told CNN that as authorities attempted to restrain the trio and remove them from the fountain area, the 30-year-old man wrestled himself loose and ran back into the fountain in a clear evasion of the law.

“Alcohol was definitely involved,” the spokesperson added.

Once caught, the unnamed Kiwi was handed a €500 fine, equal to $920, and a lifetime ban from the Baroque-style fountain.

The Trevi Fountain, opened in 1762, is one of Rome’s most well-known and photographed landmarks. However, any attempt to bathe or swim in the fountain is strongly discouraged by local authorities, and visitors face an immediate €500 fine if caught doing so.

Visitors face a €500 fine if caught attempting to swim in Rome's Trevi Fountain. Photo / 123rf

Signs are set up around the fountain site to warn tourists there is “no jumping in or swimming in the fountain pool”.

The fountain was temporarily closed in 2024 to undergo a deep clean of its marble basin, which has slowly worn down over time. Work to restore the fountain and safeguard its future use was completed in December before the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year celebrations began.

The vast majority of travellers are good-natured and stay mindful of the local norms and customs in place when on holiday. However, those trying to bend the rules often have their bad behaviour called out.

While it’s seemingly quite rare for Kiwis to be reprimanded for our unruly behaviour abroad, rogue tourists are a common occurrence across the globe.

In an event close to home, a large British family travelling through New Zealand caused a stir during their 2019 visit after they were filmed scattering rubbish around beaches, abusing members of the public, and allegedly fled restaurants after eating without paying for their meals.

Across the ditch in Australia, two British tourists were each dealt an A$1000 fine after they broke into Sea World on the Gold Coast while drunk and wreaked havoc at the marine animal park.

The pair’s intoxicated shenanigans reportedly saw them swim with dolphins and release a fire extinguisher in the shark enclosure before they ventured on to steal a fairy penguin named Dirk.

The British duo awoke the next day with Dirk in their hotel room but no recollection of the night before. They took Dirk to a nearby waterway and released him, although local authorities located him soon after and reunited him with his girlfriend, Peaches, at Sea World.

The pair were eventually caught and pleaded guilty to trespass, theft, and unlawfully keeping a protected animal, reported the Daily Mail.