Visiting the Fontana di Trevi, turning your back at it and throw a nickel into its waters, with the hope of coming back, one day, to Rome, the most magical place in the world. Of course, all tourists do it: Rome has a way to steal people’s heart as soon as they set foot in her streets and I still have to meet someone who visited and left without longing to come back as soon as possible.  

The curious habit of le monetine has come under fire in recent weeks, because of the decision taken by Rome City Council – bitterly criticized already for a perceived inadequacy to care for the city and solve many of its issues – to use the Fontana di Trevi coins for the maintenance of the city’s infrastructures. Sounds like a great idea, you may say, but you see, things are rather more complex than it appears.