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Lake Bracciano
Lake Bolsena
Piazza di Spagna, Roma, Italy, 00187
Barcaccia means "old boat" in Italian, and the Fontana della Barcaccia's Baroque design of a half-sunken ship is said to be modeled on a ship that was deposited on this spot after the Tiber river flooded in 1598. The fountain features two masks on either end of the central marble boat that spout water, and motifs featuring the sun and bees taken from the Barberini family coat of arms.
Rome walking tours or hop-on hop-off bus tours are a great way to see the Barcaccia Fountain along with the Spanish Steps and surrounding Piazza di Spagna. You can opt for a small-group or private fountain and square tour that also includes the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona, or a Rome highlights tour that stops at other famous attractions like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Pantheon—often with skip-the-line access. For a unique look at the fountain, consider joining a small-group night tour to see the fountain dramatically lit.
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Sitting on and bathing in the fountain is forbidden, though you can drink the water from the fountain spouts.
The fountain is encircled by a low metal fence and is not accessible to wheelchair users.
The house where English poet John Keats lived, now a museum dedicated to his memory and works, is located just opposite the fountain.
Be aware of your surroundings and watch for peddlers who will thrust a rose or other souvenir into your hand and then demand payment.
Metro line A runs from the Termini train station to Piazza di Spagna.
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Piazza di Spagna and the Barcaccia Fountain are crowded most of the day, so you'll have to visit early in the morning or late at night if you want to enjoy them in relative peace. The fountain is a good stop during the midday hours in summer, when you can take a cool drink from the spouts.
Waters from the Acqua Vergine
The water flowing in the Barcaccia Fountain comes from the Acqua Vergine, an aqueduct built in 19 BC that still provides clean drinking water to much of central Rome.
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Things to do in Lake Bracciano
Things to do in Lake Bolsena
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More attractions near Rome
Keats-Shelley House
Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)
Trinità dei Monti
Antico Caffè Greco
Via Condotti (Via dei Condotti)
Basilica di Sant'Andrea delle Fratte
Rome Via del Corso
Basilica di San Lorenzo in Lucina
Capuchin Crypt (Cripta dei Frati Cappuccini)
Church of Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins (Santa Maria della Concezione dei Capucchini)
Ara Pacis Museum (Museo dell'Ara Pacis)
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
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