The Spanish Steps are Rome’s grandest stairway, a sweeping cascade of 135 travertine steps linking the Piazza di Spagna below with the Trinità dei Monti church above.
Built between 1723 and 1725, the stairway was funded by a bequest from French diplomat Étienne Gueffier and designed by architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi to connect the French-owned church with the Spanish Embassy at the square’s base, a name that endures today. Long a gathering spot for artists, writers, and travelers, the steps are especially striking each spring when decorated with cascading azalea blooms.
Sitting on the steps is now banned and fined up to €400, so plan to admire the view standing or from a nearby café terrace instead.
