Joyride Gone Wrong: Man Drives Car Down Rome's Historic Spanish Steps

In an unusual incident, an elderly driver attempted to take his Mercedes down Rome's iconic Spanish Steps early Tuesday morning. Although he got partially down, the vehicle became stuck and was later removed by the fire department. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries or damages to the historic monument.

In the early hours of Tuesday, an 80-year-old man made headlines for his misguided adventure as he attempted to drive his Mercedes A-Class down the renowned Spanish Steps in Rome, a historical site officially closed to vehicles. The attempt did not pan out as expected; while the car descended part of the steps, it ultimately became lodged, prompting the intervention of the city’s fire department to extricate it.

Fortunately, local authorities reported that no injuries occurred during the incident, nor was there any evident damage inflicted on the steps themselves—a critical concern given the monument’s cultural significance. The driver, who tested negative for alcohol according to police reports, has not been identified publicly. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the man appeared confused during his interaction with law enforcement.

Video footage captured by onlookers circulated online, depicting the car making its slow and perilous way down the iconic steps, which thousands of tourists visit every year. Sowad Mujibullah, who was working a night shift at a nearby hotel, expressed his disbelief upon witnessing the bizarre scene unfold. “I thought it was a movie shoot at first, but then I realized it was very real,” he recounted sadly, emphasizing the need to preserve such historic landmarks.

Rome's penalties for damaging properties of significant cultural value are severe, with violators facing up to a year in prison and fines exceeding 2,000 euros ($2,300). Sadly, this is not the first time that vehicles have imperiled the Spanish Steps; a similar incident in 2022 involved tourists pushing an electric scooter down the steps, resulting in damages estimated at 25,000 euros. Another reported incident from the same year detailed a man inadvertently driving a Maserati sports car down the staircase following a wrong turn.

Such antics raise ongoing concerns regarding the safety and preservation of one of Italy's most cherished locations, as locals and officials alike call for stricter enforcement of existing rules.