5 Fabulous City Fountains

by Felicity Howlett

Every self-respecting city has a fountain at its core, but which ones make the biggest splash? From baroque masterpieces to contemporary feats of engineering, Holiday Lettings dips into the world’s most amazing fountains.

The Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

Photo credit: Monica PC (license) via Flickr.com

This vast baroque wave of guiding Tritons and gambolling mer-horses is the Eternal City’s most famous and flamboyant fountain. You may recognise it from several films, including Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita. Throw a coin into it to guarantee your return to the city.

Follow the narrow stairways and streets from the Trevi Fountain up the Quirinal Hill. You’ll see little churches hidden away in the back streets – step beyond Santa Maria in Trivio’s pretty facade to see a rich baroque interior. A visit to the nearby Museo delle Pasta Alimentari (Pasta Museum) will make sure that you never look at a humble bowl of spaghetti in the same way again.

The Magic Fountain, Barcelona, Spain

Photo credit: Adriano Aurelio Araujo (license) via Flickr.com

This fountain in the Montjuic district regularly puts on a show for onlookers by erupting into a spectacle of colourful lights accompanied by music. On a hot summer evening, this 15-minute spectacle will mesmerise you.

Montjuic is a spectacular vantage point – take in the views over the port from the Castell de Montjuic fortress. Wander around the Poble Espanyol, a ‘village’ of replica buildings from many regions of Spain, for a fascinating glimpse into different architectural styles. Visit the Fundacio Joan Miró to see his artworks illuminated by the natural light.

The Fountain of Wealth, Singapore

This is the world’s largest fountain and a symbol of wealth and life. Here you can touch the reputedly lucky waters to absorb the positive energy and every evening you can enjoy the excellent laser light and sound extravaganza. When the water’s turned off, you can walk under the vast circular arch and collect coins that other people have thrown in: will they bring you luck too?

The fountain’s located in the Suntec City shopping mall, so if your luck continues, you could end up with a gift from Starfire Solitaire Diamonds. You could join the land and sea DUCK tour from the shopping centre too: the journey brings you up close to Singapore’s celebrated cityscape, historical monuments and beautiful bay views.

King Fahd’s Fountain, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Photo credit: By Shereef jamal (license) via Wikimedia Commons

This imposing fountain in the Jeddah Corniche district shoots an 18-ton saltwater jet from the Red Sea 1,000 feet up in the air at over 200 miles an hour. You can see the resulting colourful mist from all over the city, and at night it’s illuminated by over 500 spotlights.

Follow in the locals’ footsteps and stroll along the 35km-long corniche. Watch out for the monumental sculptures lining the way: there’s a bronze piece by César Baldaccini, an imposing cube by Arnaldo Pomodoro and sculptures of entwined metal and boats by local artists.

Samson Fountain at Peterhof Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Photo credit: Alex Florstein (license) via Wikimedia Commons

Russia’s Versailles is home to more than 140 fountains and water features. You’re sure to be impressed by the Grand Cascade’s Samson Fountain, with the biblical superhero wrestling the jaws of a lion. The musical fountains off to one side explode randomly – can you guess which one will go off next?

Visit the vast site’s other highlights and study its rich history. Marvel at the Grand Palace’s opulent interiors fit for emperors and empresses, but be ready to be blinded by all the gold. For something a bit simpler stroll to Monplaisir Palace, the baroque bungalow-style construction by the water.

Felicity writes for Holiday Lettings, a TripAdvisor Media Group company that is your one-stop shop for holiday rental accommodation. With over 320,000 fantastic retreats in 150+ countries worldwide, we help you find the perfect place to stay then book it direct with the holiday home owner or property manager.