Italy, with its renowned romantic and historic attractions, draws more than 3million British tourists to its shores every year. However, those planning to visit the iconic Trevi Fountain in Rome may be in for a disappointment.

The world-renowned fountain, which typically attracts around 12,000 visitors daily, has reopened after three months of major renovations, but now access will be limited to groups of 400 at a time.

The fountain, made famous by films like La Dolce Vita (1960) and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), underwent extensive cleaning to remove limestone deposits and vegetation from its lower part. Despite the completion of the work, Brits hoping to toss a penny into its greenish waters might now have to pay a fee.

During the renovation period, many autumn visitors were met with a drained fountain, viewable only through glass. A small pool was set up in front of the site to allow tourists to continue the coin-throwing tradition.

The Trevi Fountain, Italy’s most famous water feature, is renowned as a place where people toss in a penny to make a wish. With thousands of tourists visiting daily, the coins are collected weekly by authorities and approximately 10,000 euros are donated to a poverty charity in Rome.

However, following recent renovations, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri has announced restrictions on visitor numbers. At the reopening, he stated: “400 people at a time will be able to be here and the goal is to allow everyone to enjoy the fountain to the fullest, without crowds or confusion.”

He also hinted at the possibility of “a small entrance fee,” for the continued upkeep of the Trevi Fountain.

This comes after extensive cleaning and repair work across Rome’s many monuments in preparation for the Catholic Jubilee year, a time when followers mark the forgiveness of sins with mass pilgrimages to Rome. Claudio Presicce, who leads Rome’s preservation efforts, told AFP that the work had restored “the majority of the monuments to the city in time for the start of the Jubilee”.