Everything you need to know to plan a last minute trip to Italy
It looks like a getaway to Italy could still be on the cards this autumn as the country begins to ease its travel restrictions.
Fully vaccinated UK travellers arriving in Italy will no longer have to quarantine if they can present a negative COVID test, the government announced this week.
As schools go back and summer comes to an end, a last minute break is looking more and more appealing.
With average temperatures of around 22 °C, fewer tourists and crowd-free attractions in September, Italy is the perfect destination for a safe late-summer holiday.
Here’s everything you need to know and some dates for the diary.
Five-day quarantine has been removed for double vaccinated Brits
From this week, fully-vaccinated Brits arriving in Italy will no longer have to quarantine for five days when they arrive, but it is still an Amber country.
Travellers must have received their second dose of the vaccine at least 14 days prior to travel and must present a negative PCR or antigen test taken within the 48 hours before arrival in Italy.
Unvaccinated UK arrivals will still be required to present a negative test and self-isolate for five days.
What are Italy’s travel requirements?
The Italian Foreign Ministry has a really handy website (in English) where you can find the travel requirements for each country.
It is the quickest and most reliable way to find out the latest restrictions.
It has a questionnaire where you’ll need to give:
- Your country of origin
- Country(ies) you’ve been to in the last 14 days
- Whether you are a citizen of a country in the EU or Schengen area
- Your residence status in Italy (if any)
You’ll then be told any current restrictions for travel to Italy from your country, the documents you’ll need to show and any quarantining you’ll need to do.
Italy’s Green Pass
UK travellers will either need to apply for Italy’s ‘Green Pass’ certificate, which comes in digital or paper versions, or present their NHS vaccination pass which is also recognised in Italy as a Green Pass. This can also either be scanned or printed.
The pass shows that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from COVID-19 but does not apply to children under the age of 12.
It is required for indoor dining in restaurants and bars as well as being mandatory for access to museums, cinemas, theatres, gyms, swimming pools, amusement parks, spas, wellness centres, festivals, fairs, casinos, bingo halls and sports stadiums.
You will also need it on the following types of transport: domestic flights, ships and ferries connecting different regions, Intercity, Intercity Night and High Speed Trains, coaches and buses connecting different regions.
The COVID-19 green pass is not required to board local trains and will not be necessary for consuming food or drink at tables outdoors or drinking a coffee while standing at the bar.
Maeve Campbell www.euronews.com