how much do current covid restrictions impact the travel experience?

In my personal experience here at home, as this variant is so much more contagious, my fear would be actually catching omicron and being sick in Europe, delaying a return home. I just know so many vaccinated and boostered folks who are sick right now from Omnicron.

I went to Switzerland Sept., 2021, did some research, and felt then that the risk was about the same as staying home. [The CDC had just put Switzerland in the red zone the night before we left.] I didn't feel that the restrictions detracted from that trip.

I don't feel that way currently. I think the concerns regarding actually getting sick out weigh tolerating Italy's covid mandates.

Good luck!

I guess you could look in the “Trip Reports” section of the Forum (it's one of the categories under “Tips and Trip Reports”). You will find in there reports from lots of people who have been to Italy (and elsewhere) these past few months. Their experience is probably the most useful resource for you without them having to type out all their information again.

I just read a posting on Cruise Critic about a couple who tested positive and were put off the ship in Italy. They had to stay in a hotel in Florence for 22 days, due to Italy's strict rules. They were put in separate hotel rooms. Luckily for them Holland America paid for the hotel, meals and medical care. I would be more worried about what the cost would be if you have to quarantine at your own expense. The wife had tested positive and the husband negative.

Being positive during a control is the worst problem, because means you must do a quarantine (at least 7 days, if you have the third shot, than a negative test). My suggestion: a plan-B at home and a good travel insurance whom cover all quarantine and flight-change costs.
For everything else if you have the full vaccination done not more than 6 months before (and not less than 14 days), you can do whatever you want and you can even enjoy Italy without so many tourists. Outdoor is required to wear a mask and in most of indoor places is required a FFP2/N95 mask (sold in Italy at 0,75-1€). In restaurants you can sit indoor showing the Super Green Pass (or the US CDC certificate) and so you can remove the mask. Even if you sit outdoor you can remove the mask when at the table, but the green pass is controlled.
No problem if your wife is Mexican: for Covid is important where she lives and in which countries she was before arrive in Italy. Is not a matter of passport. If she lives and was vaccinated in USA the rules are the same.
At the moment these rules are valid for yellow and oranges regions (both Emilia-Romagna and Veneto are "yellow" now). If a region becomes white the outdoor mask isn't required. Only if a region becomes red there are problems for tourists (and residents), but we are quite far from that limit.

The mask outdoor is a problem? I work as a touristic guide and for touristic groups the mask was mandatory even outdoor since the beginning of Covid. So are two years I use the mask even outdoor walking (climbing stairs, towers....) and talking at the same time. I'm not a teenager, but the mask isn't a real problem.

wearing a mask outdoors when properly distanced from others not part of your household is totally useless and ridiculous

I believe the same of the speed limits: why I must respect them when I'm alone or well distanced from other cars? Is a law: doesn't matter if you believe is good or not, you must respect it.

Personally I think that wearing a mask outdoors when properly distanced from others not part of your household is totally useless and ridiculous (or so say the doctors in the hospital where I work),

I hope you misunderstood what the doctors said? Where I am, masks are mandatory and every doctor agrees that everyone (at least the 100 or so I have regular contact with) should always wear a mask outdoors or indoors. I tend to agree with that. But you can decide what works best for you.

The most current travel restrictions do detract from my travel experiences. I have not travelled for "fun" in over a year. Every time I feel like things are improving and it might be safe to get back to the traveling life I used to have, something pops up and I am back to not traveling. But then I have recently developed medical conditions that cause me to be a lot more cautious than I used to be.

I have travel plans for May with our family of 4. We have all agreed that wearing a mask outdoors will detract from this wonderful Expedia day it’s worth postponing.

I feel the issue is not the experience while in Italy, but the risks when trying to leave. Google has plenty of articles you can find that has been written about people testing positive when trying to leave Italy and having to quarantine before being allowed to leave. The first hand accounts of these experiences are harrowing to say the least.

This morning an article is now saying Israel is concerned the 4th booster doesn’t protect well enough against Omicron, but it’s still preliminary. That’s so not what I wanted to hear!

Look at requirements from Mexico since countries are all listed individually. Masks are required outdoors here. The colors this year should only affect those not vaccinated or those that need to have the booster. It is definitely different.... I live 1/2 the year in the area and nothing feels the same but I think that is to be expected. I've only encountered one time a problem with my CDC card but I continually have to explain (I speak Italian) and then it is ok.... this didn't happen prior to the super green pass for me

On January 6, I returned to the US from a 3-week trip in Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice). Masking and other COVID policies didn't detract from my time there, but my desire to be in Italy was stronger than my concerns about COVID policies. (I lived in Rome for two years and desperately wanted to get back and see friends I hadn't seen in a couple years.) Masks could be removed for photos in all of the outdoor venues that I frequented. I didn't come across anyone policing that. Museums were stricter, though. I wouldn't recommend removing your mask in a museum for a photo--both for your own health and the health of others. I had received my booster in October, so there wasn't any problem with indoor dining or gaining access to churches, historical sights, museums, etc. with my CDC card. I agree with the posters who cautioned about having to stay in Italy if one tests positive before returning to the US. That was my only point of anxiety. It was helpful to have rapid tests on hand.

Just want to say I went in June 2021 and absolutely loved my time in Rome. So much so, that my fiancee and I are going for our honeymoon for 3 weeks in February (just two weeks from Friday -- woohoo!). This is how I look at it...

I understand the risks, spent a tiny bit extra to mitigate those risks (see below), and ultimately -- I'd rather travel, roll with the punches, and have a great story to tell than sit at home waiting for the world to change.

Masks -- Sure, you have to wear masks -- no biggie. It will keep my nose warm if it's chilly outside. I can "chin" it like the locals if I'm in a non-crowded area. Will a mask really limit how much you can enjoy yourself?

COVID -- I had covid in 2020, was exposed to Delta in August 2021 by a dear friend who I ate with, sang with, and hugged even though he was coughing his brains out (it was a Bible Study dinner thing), and then I spent Christmas with my sister and her family who all had Omicron a few weeks ago. Oddly enough, I never got sick again. I also got my vaccine so I could travel a few weeks ago. So I'm not worried about getting covid, but that's just me.

COVID Part 2 / Quarantine -- For our upcoming trip, I purchased trip insurance from World Nomads ($166 for $2,500 of trip insurance). This will reimburse me if I happen to test positive in Italy before flying back to the US, etc. I have a credit card with a big limit and plenty of room, so it won't be the end of the world if I have to stay for another week. I also bought the flight insurance in case my flight there gets canceled for some reason. This was probably overkill, but our layover is in Newark in January... would hate to miss my flight due to snow.

~

All in all, I know I'll enjoy my time and make the most of it no matter what. I've done what I can do to mitigate the downside risks while not breaking the bank. And it's going to be an adventure... it always is :)

thanks to everyone for the responses. very informative and helpful. the risk of testing positive and being refused reentry to the u.s. is certainly another issue to consider.

thanks again.