Yes Italy is Open to American Tourists

Last updated October 14, 2021

Italy officially opened to US tourists from May 16, 2021. Italy, the most popular tourist destination in Europe for Americans, has been closed off since early 2020 so this small scale reopening presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconnect with this most engaging of destinations. From June 18 Canada was added to the list of safe countries.

Entry Requirements

Italy’s Covid-Tested flights program has been superseded from June 21, 2021. Now the conditions for entry are as follows:

If you are travelling to Italy from Canada, Japan, the UK, the United States:

You must fill out a digital Passenger Locator Form (or, in case of lack of necessary technology, a self-declaration);
From 31st August 2021, arrivals from the US, Canada, or Japan will need to present both proof of full vaccination ) issued by your local health authorities in your home country and received a negative result of a molecular or antigenic test carried out in the 72 hours before your arrival. Fully vaccinated travelers from the UK are required to present a negative result of a test from the past 48 hours.

Passenger Locator Form

All travelers to Italy are required to fill in an online Passenger Locator Form, which should be completed before boarding.

Arriving from another EU country

Travelers arriving from other EU countries should be able to present a less than 48 hour old negative Antigen or PCR test, and should fill in the Passenger Locator form.

PCR or Antigen Testing for Returning Home

If you need to get tested for your journey home, whether it is required by the airline or for re-entry into the U.S. we will help you schedule that at the most convenient location possible, at the appropriate time. For re-entry to the US you need to have a negative result from a Covid-19 viral test up to 3 days before departure (not counting the day of departure, so for a flight at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Tuesday or after.) Since May 12 2021, the CDC have approved Antigen tests for travel. Antigen tests are quicker (results in 30 minutes, not 24 hours) and cheaper (around 1/3 the price or less) than PCR tests and often more readily available. If you are flying direct back to the US, the only test you’ll need is an Antigen test. If you are transferring in another country on the way back to the US other requirements may apply. We advise to check with the airline in this case.

General COVID-19 measures to be aware of

maintain physical distance
maintain hand hygiene and disinfection (we will provide a personal bottle of hand sanitiser to you upon arrival)
wearing protective masks is mandatory in all indoor spaces throughout the country, and outdoors when you cannot maintain a 1M/3FT distance from other people (we will provide one disposable mask per day of your vacation). This does not apply to individuals for whom wearing a face mask is not recommended on account of their documented medical condition, e.g. respiratory problems, and children under the age of six
From August 6th, in order to enter in a series of places (restaurants and bars to dine inside, museums, cinema, theatres, events, concerts, receptions -weddings and celebrations- etc) you will be asked to show a proof of vaccination (in the EU it’s called Green Pass, but the certification issued in the US -usually by your Local Health Authority OR the place where you got the vaccination is fine). This is MANDATORY all over Italy, no matter what color the region is. If you have not been vaccinated, you will need to show a recent (less than 48 hours) negative Antigen or PCR test certificate. Antigen/Rapid Tests can be taken in pharmacies and cost €20-22, with results in up to a few hours.

Regional Restrictions

Italy has a color-coded system of restrictions. The country’s 20 regions are designated either white (no restrictions), yellow (some restrictions), orange (more severe restrictions), and red (most restrictive). As of late August, only Sicily is yellow, which means:

– Restaurants and bars are open but there will be a limit of 4 people per table (even if they are from the same family);
– Masks will be mandatory EVERYWHERE, even outside;
– The Green Pass (see above) will be asked for ALL activities, even outside (which includes concerts, theatres, open-air museums and sites, and restaurants and bars to dine inside).

Curfews and Movement Restrictions

There is no curfew in place.

Bars & Restaurants

Bars and restaurants are open for lunch and dinner but a maximum of 6 people from different households can eat together at the same table indoors. Everywhere else there are no such restrictions. Only in the white regions it is possible to dine inside, in yellow regions restaurants and bars can only have outside tables.
Please note walk-ins are possible but we advise making reservations if you want to dine outside due to limited outdoor capacities. We are happy to make recommendations and help with reservations.

Sightseeing

Cultural sites and museums are working normally, some with reduced working hours, with limited number of visitors. If you are interested in any specific sites, please let your local JayWay contact know and they will confirm the current situation a few days in advance, and help with making reservations if advised. Large group tours aren’t operating, but small group tours (up to 12) are.

Shops and Beauty Services

All shops and beauty services are open with regular working hours. Shops have limitations on number of visitors depending on their size.

Public Transport

Wearing protective masks is mandatory throughout the country in public transportation.

Schedule for next changes in measures

As most measures have been relaxed from late June, there is no indication of the next change in measures (removing the face masks indoors mandate is expected).

Updates from JayWay’s Locals

From Giorgia in Rome
Life in Rome is as always, lots of traffic, many locals in the city center, specially in the weekends, but no tourists yet (and no huge groups and crowds), except for tourism life is normal. We wear masks everywhere but we can have lunch and dinner outside, visit museums and parks, have coffee, aperitivo and so on. Curfew is still at 10 PM so nights are quite calm and silent. I’m especially enjoying having Aperitivo without having to leave the bar at 5.45 PM (before April bars could open only till 6 PM) 😀 Rome is ready to welcome you again, lifting restrictions and vaccinating as many people as possible per day, lines are shorter, squares are emptier, the Trevi Fountain is missing its coins and the Colosseum isn’t seeing that many feet walking on its steps and cobblestones. This is the absolute perfect time to come visit Rome, with all the restrictions and attention necessary, we are ready to welcome you back 🙂

From Elisa in Venice
Venice seems to finally get back to normality. Bars and restaurants are open again, and it’s great to sit outside and enjoy some food and drinks with friends in the sunshine. The streets are not empty anymore, but at the same time there aren’t the usual crowds that would populate Venice in this season, so it is great to stroll through the city and enjoy its magic. The traffic on the canals is still pretty quiet, and boat rides are a great way to relax and admire the city stress-free.
More and more people are getting vaccinated, and rumours are much more restrictions will be lifted in the next few weeks; we all are very hopeful now and can’t wait to enjoy our city at the fullest this summer!