The Tiber River, long off-limits to swimmers due to severe pollution, could soon return to its historic role as a place for leisure in Rome. City officials have announced an ambitious cleanup plan, pledging that within five years the river will be clean enough for bathing.

Currently, swimming in the Tiber is strictly prohibited, with fines exceeding €100 for violators. The ban dates back to the 1960s, when pollution levels made the water unsafe. Since then, contamination has only worsened, with high levels of ammonia, E. coli, and microplastics recorded in the river.

Once central to Rome’s trade and transport, the Tiber was also a social hub, where families gathered on weekends to swim and sunbathe. But after the ban, its banks grew neglected. Today, only on New Year’s Eve do a few daredevils leap into the river from bridges—a risky tradition that comes with heavy fines.

Rome’s new initiative aims not only to restore the river’s water quality but also to transform its banks. Plans include developing urban beaches and even installing lifts to allow people with limited mobility to access the water.

The effort mirrors the success of Paris, where the Seine was cleaned for the first time since 1923 ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, making it possible to host swimming competitions in the historic river. Inspired by that achievement, Rome hopes to bring its own waterway back to life.

If successful, the Tiber could once again become a centerpiece of the city’s public life—where Romans and visitors alike gather to swim, relax, and reclaim a tradition lost for more than half a century.