Booking choice: The basin and City of Water tour, from $50 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
“Trevi Fountain underground” is what most tours call Vicus Caprarius, an archaeological area beneath the former Cinema Trevi. You can visit it on your own for a few euros or with one of three tours on this site, which add a guide and, in one case, the fountain's basin.
Below: what is down there, where exactly it is, opening hours and prices, booking, and how the three underground tours compare.
The quick answer
The Trevi Fountain underground is Vicus Caprarius, the City of Water: remains of an imperial Roman house (domus) and a castellum aquae, a water tank of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, under the former Cinema Trevi at Vicolo del Puttarello 25. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 17:00 (last admission 16:30), and closes on Mondays. Tickets cost €4. It is beside the fountain, not beneath it. Of the underground tours, only the City of Water tour also includes the basin ticket.
What is the Trevi Fountain underground?
Vicus Caprarius, “the City of Water”: the excavated structures of an imperial Roman house and a castellum aquae of the Aqua Virgo, under the former Cinema Trevi.
The Aqua Virgo is the aqueduct that feeds the Trevi Fountain. Agrippa built it in 19 BC to supply his baths; its source is about 13 km from Rome, and the channel itself runs about 22 km. A castellum aquae is a water tank of the aqueduct system. At Vicus Caprarius you see that tank and the walls of the house around it, below today's street.
Is it under the Trevi Fountain?
No. It is beside the fountain, a few steps away in Vicolo del Puttarello, not beneath it.
Some listings say “beneath the Trevi Fountain”. GetYourGuide's review summary for the most-reviewed underground tour notes that guests found the site near the fountain rather than directly under it. Go for the Roman house and the aqueduct tank, not to stand under the fountain, and you will not be disappointed.
The basin steps and the ruins next door with one guide, in about an hour.
Check dates for the basin and City of Water tourWhat are the Vicus Caprarius opening hours and ticket prices?
Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 17:00, last admission 16:30, closed on Mondays. A full ticket is €4.
Prices and times from the site's own FAQ:
| Vicus Caprarius | |
|---|---|
| Open | Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 17:00 |
| Last admission | 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Full ticket | €4 |
| Reduced | €2.50 (Roma Pass, EU students aged 18 to 25, EU teachers) |
| Ages 14 to 17 | €1 |
| Under 14 | Free |
| Self-guided visit | About 20 minutes |
| Guided visit | About 40 minutes, by reservation only |
| Address | Vicolo del Puttarello 25 |
Do you need to book Vicus Caprarius?
Booking is recommended on weekdays and required at weekends; guided visits run only by reservation.
The site is small, so slots matter. If Monday is your only day near the Trevi, the underground is closed: go to the basin instead (see the Trevi ticket guide). If you book a tour, the tour's ticket covers the underground entry: the City of Water tour, the aqueduct walk and the express tour all list it as included.
Short on time? A 40-minute guided visit to the excavations beside the fountain, with headsets so you hear the guide.
Explore the underground express tourWhich Trevi underground tour should you book?
The City of Water tour if you also want the basin; the aqueduct walk for the fullest history; the express tour for a quick look.
All three include the underground entry. Only one includes the €2 basin access. From-prices per person in USD; ratings and review counts are GetYourGuide's.
| Option | Underground | Basin ticket | Also | Length | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basin and City of Water | Vicus Caprarius | Included | Live guide at the fountain | 1 hour | 4.6 (308) | $50 |
| Aqueduct walk and underground | Underground aqueduct | No | Walk from the Spanish Steps, max 12 | 2 hours | 4.8 (499) | $47 |
| Underground express | Underground excavations | No | Headsets | 40 minutes | 4.3 (2,099) | $39 |
| Vicus Caprarius on your own | Vicus Caprarius | No | Guided visit by reservation | 20 to 40 minutes | Not rated | €4 |
What is the aqueduct walk like?
It starts at the Spanish Steps and follows the route of the ancient aqueduct to the Trevi, going underground along the way, then ends at the underground reservoir; groups are at most 12.
The operator's route begins at the fountain by the Spanish Steps, which is still fed by the aqueduct built in 19 BC, then traces the channel through the streets, with stops underground to see the water still flowing, as far as the Trevi Fountain. The second part goes round the corner to the underground reservoir. It is listed as suitable for children and runs rain or shine. Rated 4.8 from 499 reviews. One guest wrote: “It is mind boggling, to those of us who do not live where antiquity is a part of daily life, that this sort of thing exists in such everyday, ordinary places in the city.”
Follow the aqueduct from the Spanish Steps to the Trevi, then go underground, in a group of at most 12.
Check dates for the aqueduct walk and undergroundIs the express underground tour worth it?
For a quick guided look at the excavations, yes: 40 minutes with headsets for $39. It does not include the basin ticket, and guests note the underground can get crowded.
It is the most reviewed Trevi tour here (2,099 reviews, 4.3 overall, 4.0 for value for money). The listing says the basin access is not included: the guide takes you to a viewing point at piazza level. You meet at Piazza di Trevi 82, on the right side of the fountain, in front of the Trevi Religious Articles shop, and should arrive 5 minutes early. One guest wrote: “The only negative is how many guided tours they have at the same time underground, so it was crowded and we had to wait several times for our turn to go forward to look at different things.” It is listed as not suitable for wheelchair users.
How long do you need for the Trevi underground?
About 20 minutes self-guided or 40 minutes with a guide at the site; tours that include it take 40 minutes to 2 hours.
The express tour takes 40 minutes, the City of Water tour 1 hour including the basin, and the aqueduct walk 2 hours from the Spanish Steps. If you want the basin and the underground in the same visit, the City of Water tour is the only one here that does both. Every Trevi tour, underground or not, is compared in Trevi Fountain tours.
The one tour that does both: the basin steps at the fountain, then down into Vicus Caprarius, with one guide in about an hour.
Explore the basin and City of Water tourFrequently asked questions
How much is the Trevi underground ticket?
At Vicus Caprarius, €4 full price, €2.50 reduced (Roma Pass, EU students aged 18 to 25, EU teachers), €1 for ages 14 to 17 and free under 14.
Is Vicus Caprarius open on Mondays?
No. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:30.
Which underground tour includes the Trevi basin?
Only the City of Water tour on this site includes both the underground entry and the €2 basin access. The aqueduct walk and the express tour include the underground only.
Is the Trevi underground suitable for wheelchair users?
The express tour lists itself as not suitable for wheelchair users. The other listings do not say, so check with the operator before you book.
Ready to book
Choose your Trevi visit
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on each tour below. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Trevi Basin & City of Water Tour
- Access to the restricted basin area of the Trevi Fountain
- Entry ticket to Vicus Caprarius, the underground City of Water
- Guided tour with a local guide
Aqueduct Walk & Trevi Underground
Following the ancient aqueduct underground
Trevi Underground Express Tour
A quick guided look at the excavations beside the fountain
