Situation in Italy :(

[BryanS]

The regulations from last month are being continued until 7 Oct - no North Americans.

 

[Sharon J]

I'm not planning on doing that, but have been wondering if most restaurants and stores are open? I would hate to go, and find many places closed.

 

[italian excursion]

The regulations from last month are being continued until 7 Oct - no North Americans.

Thank you, Bryan! Appreciate the info.....

 

[BryanS]

This is the actual declaration: Viaggiare Sicuri

Canadians, Australians and those from New Zealand are under "D" - they can come here but under specific controls upon arrival. Those from the US are under "E" - only if they meet specific criteria (have residency, family, work, etc)

 

[Pauline]

Those from the US are under "E" - only if they meet specific criteria (have residency, family, work, etc)

Which shows me why I should not rely on random comments on Instagram and Twitter! The people who posted must have residency.

 

[Pauline]

but have been wondering if most restaurants and stores are open?

I think they are open. @BryanS posted photos of he and Valerie in a cafe in another thread. And places were busy this summer.

 

[Alpinista]

Regarding Americans entering and quarantining....Has this changed?? "Non-essential travel (i.e., tourism) to Italy from most non-EU countries (including the United States) is prohibited. Essential travel is allowed and includes students, businesspersons, EU residents, and relatives of Italian citizens."

EDIT: Prior responses did not display when I posted -- was having a cursing moment thinking we could have sequestered at my wife's house instead of canceling.

 

[BryanS]

Under section E (Americans) you can enter Italy if: Italian / EU / Schengen citizens and their family members, as well as holders of regular residence permits and their family members.

They have added, as did most of Europe: for people who have a proven and stable emotional relationship (even if not cohabiting) with Italian / EU / Schengen citizens or with individuals who are legally resident in Italy (long-term residents), who must reach the home / domicile / residence of the partner (in Italy).

We have 'heard' stories about Americans coming to houses they own that don't meet the above criteria but we have no specific proof of that. It would be recommended to contact your Italian consulate to inquire.

 

[Andrew]

We're back from Croatia (trip report forthcoming). The word there is that Americans can enter Italy after 14 days in Croatia, with a COVID test taken shortly before or after arrival in Italy. Also it looks like Americans can enter Italy after 14 days quarantining in the U.K. or Ireland.

 

[lisaonthecape]

We finally broke down and cancelled; we were supposed to leave on 9/19, and that clearly wasn't happening. We're doing a short vacation in the Berkshires as a consolation prize, which is about as far as we can travel from Cape Cod without leaving Massachusetts.

 

[italian excursion]

Ambivalence is driving me out of my mind! I want to go, late October, early November. I'm not sure I want to endure a quarantine if needed. The area in Umbria I'd be staying in has a very low incidence of virus. My family isn't too keen on my going just yet. So, I go back & forth, back & forth. It's a long 14 hour journey for me (from west coast of U.S.) all masked up, etc. No one else can choose for me but it helps to get it out of my head, so thanks for listening!

Cheryl
italianexcursion.com

 

[Alpinista]

Cheryl, we're pulling for you -- hope you get to go and enjoy the beauty of Italy in the fall along with the seasonal festivals.

 

[joe]

Ambivalence is driving me out of my mind! I want to go, late October, early November. I'm not sure I want to endure a quarantine if needed. The area in Umbria I'd be staying in has a very low incidence of virus.
Cheryl

Indeed a dilemma and of course it's ultimately your decision. But it looks to me that if you are longing for this trip so much, then you should go ahead and do it. A major reason in support - aside from the enjoyment of the trip itself - is that it doesn't look like things will be getting any better in the coming year, so the question is : why postpone? You'll probably be confronting the same questions in the spring.
A quarantine - if you have the time and budget to go through one - is not such a bad experience.
Also : less tourists everywhere, and locals who are happy to receive the ones that arrive.

The only negative I can think of is that Italy might be on its way to a second wave, like other countries. But in the spring, maybe countries will be entering their third waves. And of course the fact that restrictions make routine things less convenient than pre-Covid - but again, it looks like we are all going to have to embrace this as part of life in the near future, wherever we are.
You might want to look at this as your personal revolt against the the somewhat inhuman situation that some places in the world have plunged themselves into - look at the countries where life has managed to co-exist fairly well with the disease, and decide if you might prefer to go down that road...

 

[italian excursion]

Thank you Alpinista and Joe for the encouragement! I will take your commentary under advisement....
And when I figure this out for myself I will let you all know.
Ciao-ciao,
Cheryl

 

[BryanS]

Italy now requires those from Paris arriving in Italy to have compulsory COVID testing. Also included are 'The following regions of France are included in the new ordinance: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Corsica, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, New Aquitaine, Occitane, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.'

Ministero della Salute

 

[Pauline]

Italy now requires those from Paris arriving in Italy to have compulsory COVID testing.

That is because Covid cases are high in those France regions.

A British actor on Twitter tweeted that he was tested when flying into Rome a few weeks ago. His point was that the results were back quickly while in the UK it can take a week if you can even get a test.

We entered Italy from Austria last Friday by car and there was no stop at the border. We drove straight through.

 

[Shannon]

Ambivalence is driving me out of my mind! I want to go, late October, early November. I'm not sure I want to endure a quarantine if needed. The area in Umbria I'd be staying in has a very low incidence of virus. My family isn't too keen on my going just yet. So, I go back & forth, back & forth. It's a long 14 hour journey for me (from west coast of U.S.) all masked up, etc. No one else can choose for me but it helps to get it out of my head, so thanks for listening!

Cheryl
italianexcursion.com

Cheryl if you have the time, you could come to Croatia first, then to Italy after 14 days. You need to get a test to come to Croatia but there is no quarantine assuming it is negative. At this time you then need to test before you go to Italy. maybe It will change but for sure you can go there from here.

 

[italian excursion]

That's a good option, Shannon, thanks! A new direction may be the best solution if it will hold long enough for me to get there before changes occur....

 

[joe]

Two views of the current situation in Italy - is the country starting to experience a delayed second wave, with schools and stadiums being allowed to open, or is the memory of the tragic developments in the first lockdown keeping the level of Covid spread relatively low?

How Is Italy Avoiding a Second Pandemic Wave?

The country seems to be coping much better than Spain, France and the U.K. this time around. But no one can be complacent about this pandemic.

www.bloomberg.com

'Totally awakened': how tragedy has left Italians alert to deadly virus

Memory of crammed hospitals lingers in adherence to Covid rules and Italy is faring better than others

www.theguardian.com

It will be interesting for me to see how the Salone del Gusto, about to commence in ten days in Torino, will play out. We had accommodations for the event and I decided to cancel the vacation. As it turned out, I made the right decision - Israel is in lockdown, flights have been cancelled, and we would not have been able to go IAC.

 

[NoSpin]

Well Italy's latest travel decree expires tomorrow, Oct. 7th. I'm pretty sure they are going to extend it another month since cases are rising in Italy.

We have reservations for an apartment in Rome for Christmas and the cancellation deadline date is Nov. 23rd. I think if they extend the US restrictions another month we're just going to give up on trying to go.