Katy Perry turned a classic tourist tradition into an impromptu comedy bit during her visit to Rome on Sunday (April 19).
The pop star, 41, shared a short, playful video on Instagram in which she realized she didn’t have any coins to toss into the iconic Trevi Fountain. Instead of skipping the ritual, she pulled out her credit card and briefly submerged it in the water as a stand-in for good luck.
In the clip, Perry — dressed casually in a hoodie, cap and glasses with her hair in a braid — stands at the edge of the fountain and says, “I don’t have any change… but I feel like I need to put something in the Trevi Fountain for good luck.” She then jokingly sings a line about needing a penny before dipping the card into the water and quickly retrieving it before it could float away. The moment is captured with her signature self-aware humor as she laughs and speaks directly to the camera.
The video was part of an Instagram carousel post captioned along the lines of “Just Rome’ing around.”
The Trevi Fountain tradition calls for visitors to toss coins over their right shoulder while facing away from the fountain: one coin is said to guarantee a return to Rome, while two or three are believed to bring love or grant a wish. Coins collected from the fountain are donated to charity.
Perry’s lighthearted improvisation quickly went viral across social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok and X, with fans praising the relatable move in an era when few people carry loose change. Comments ranged from “Only Katy would pay with a credit card for luck” to jokes about “contactless payments” and whether the water gods would approve her high credit limit.
The clip comes after Perry performed a private concert in Rome on Saturday (April 18) at La Nuvola, where she reportedly treated the audience to hits including “Roar,” “Firework,” “Teenage Dream” and others, along with a cover of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.”
While the fountain moment has drawn widespread amusement online, it arrives amid separate headlines surrounding the singer, including recent allegations from actress Ruby Rose that Perry has vehemently denied.
Perry has long embraced whimsical, personality-driven social media content, and this latest post fits squarely into that playful brand. No actual coins — or credit cards — were left behind in the fountain.
The full video remains viewable on Perry’s Instagram account.
