Tourist travel is now permitted to Italy from the USA, prime minister Mario Draghi announced on May 4. The catch? You should be vaccinated and traveling on a "Covid-free flight," exclusively offered through Alitalia or Delta airlines until Italy's "green pass" (an anticipation of the EU's vaccine passport) is ready, projected for mid-June. My mother recently took one of these flights to come and meet my daughter for the first time here in Rome - all it entails is getting a Covid rapid test within 48 hours of travel or directly in the airport, wearing a mask for the entirety of the flight and getting another rapid test upon arrival. If both tests are negative, you won't be required to undergo the otherwise mandatory 10-day quarantine Italy imposes on visitors. For now, Covid-free direct flights currently operate out of New York JFK and Atlanta airports, and Boston will be added by August 5. Direct flights from JFK to Venice with a Covid-free option will reopen on July 2. As of May 26, qualifying for the flight upon arrival in the airport requires 1) Proof of a negative PCR molecular test; 2) proof of negative antigen rapid test at the airport; 3) EU self-declaration Passenger Locator Form with confirmation code; 4) confirmed reservation of a rapid test upon arrival in Rome FCO or Milan MXP.
What can you expect once you arrive? Restaurants are back in action (with indoor seating allowed again as of June 1) and curfew has been extended to 11pm, soon to be changing to midnight and completely abolished by June 21. The Forum & Colosseum have opened back up to a limited amount of visitors, but places need to be reserved in advance (no same-day bookings or tours available). The Vatican, meanwhile, has extended its opening hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 8pm through June 30 and until 10:30pm starting July 1 in order to allow more visiting time at lesser capacity. Nearly all other museums and sites in the city are open, with safety restrictions and social distancing firmly in place. Masks are still required to be worn at all time other than when consuming food or beverage, so even though it is no longer mandatory in the USA, be sure to bring a mask or two with you for your trip!
Finally, prepare yourself to enjoy a practically empty Eternal City! If you're itching to make it to Rome in a moment when tourism is operating at low-season capacity, but the only time for that family trip is over the summer holiday, take advantage of the fact that this summer, the crowds will be lighter and the sites necessarily under-crowded. We would love to have you! And don't worry, vaccinations in Lazio are progressing at an incredible rate - Giovanni just got his first Pfizer vaccine yesterday and I should be up for mine by mid-June when vaccines start being offered to those of us in our thirties. So think about packing those bags and taking advantage of Alitalia's offer to wave all change fees on any class ticket through June 30, because if things take a sudden turn (they likely won't), you can always change your flight the day before with no penalty (It's true! No catches - we took advantage of this feature last summer on our vacation in Greece, and aside from the long wait time on the phone, ~1hr before speaking with a representative, it was completely hassle-free)!
Comentarios