In Italy now: impressions

@Cdtravel, thanks for the report! We were in Italy in early August (Venice, Po River area, Sorrento/Pompeii, and Rome). We found mask wearing was pretty universal inside (masks not worn outside). We also experienced high mask adherence on all the trains we were in (including the packed Circumvesuviana from Sorrento to Naples). I’m curious if the mask theater you’ve experienced is a regional difference - or whether they have relaxed? For instance, even in the Colosseum, there were employees reminding visitors to pull masks up the second one transitioned from outdoor to indoor settings. I’m curious if your bus to Siena had good mask compliance? Like you, we were so glad we went this summer! We are also all vaccinated - I would definitely not recommend anyone venture abroad unvaxxed. We found all the people we ran into were genuinely glad to have tourists back, and we were delighted by how relatively “normal” things have become in Europe. It seems as if they have come to terms with the measures needed to get back to a relative normal - masking and vaccination. And life goes on. Enjoy your last few days, and safe travels home!

We are in Italy now; Rome, all over Sicily, and Naples/Sorrento. I guess I would agree with the first response. On public transport and indoors, nearly all comply with mask requirements, some have not figured out the complexities of covering both mouth and nose, but they have a mask.

Small shops however, it varies based on the owner. Walk into a grocery, you will be told to mask up, a small shop, if one were not to pull on a mask, and the owner was unmasked, then likely no masks. You put on yours going in, they pull one out.

Wearing masks outside is not a requirement in any of the regions you mentioned, about 20 percent, that we saw will still mask up outside. In Sicily it was a requirement (Yellow Status) but was largely ignored (it was terribly hot in September).

So far as safer than Florida or Vegas? try just about all of the US. Only a couple small US states have less an infection rate, or on par with anywhere in Italy. Probably much safer given that mask compliance is higher than anywhere in the US.

Heather: I think most of the people not wearing their mask properly were tourists. Not once did I see a museum employee tell someone to put their mask on properly, but I could have missed it. The bus to Siena had good masking.

Paul: I agree with you that Italy is much safer than most of the US. But, to many, it viscerally feels more dangerous to fly halfway around the world during a pandemic. I want to be sensitive to that but also let people know how things are on the ground. I am aware that masking outside isn't required, but people have been asking so I thought I'd share.

I'd wager that the psychological effects of the pandemic will be harder for some to get through than others. My instincts have changed about crowds and I have to remind myself of positivity rates, vaccines, social distancing, etc. In ways I never had to in 2019. That level of cognitive work will wear on the brain (mental fatigue). So, people should take that into account. Mental check-ins with one another about how we felt about a crowded space, talking through things that scared us, and being kind to ourselves and others have all gone a long way to easing that mental fatigue.

Thank you Cdtravel, Heather, and Paul. We are planning our trip for Italy next year and this type of information from people who are traveling now helps me decide whether to go in Spring versus Fall. As you mentioned, it is about personal comfort level, but getting your perspective is priceless. So thank you.

Sandy

Rome was BUSY near the Pantheon/Trevi Fountain last night, mask wearing inside but definitely less outside. We felt there was the same amount of tourists as 2017.

Yeah, crowds are not much less than normal. Everywhere we have been, there have been steady crowds, not oppressive, but plenty of people. Restaurants can fill fast, but many have basically cut off indoor dining, seating everyone outdoors, and only a few overflow inside; so while they look full, with increased spacing of tables and reduced indoor capacity...it appears like a heavy crowd, but maybe half their pre-covid capacity. Other venues, like the Pantheon, and the Piazza in front of it are seeing crowds waiting in line to get their green pass checked for entry. Pompeii, Heraculanium, and outdoor sites we visited in Sicily actually felt like few people were there, fairly pleasant; but the Amalfi Coast on Sunday was jam packed...heavy traffic, buses full, streets crowded.

Thank you for this report! It's encouraging. We leave in about three weeks and I'm glad to hear it's going well over there. Sounds about the same as what we're doing here at this point for masking, etc. I hope lots of those people go home in October, though! I was hoping for smaller crowds. :)

We did go to St.Peters today, Security quick, simple temp check, no green pass checks to go in, crowd was similar to what we have seen in February, rather than September. Overall, the composition of the crowds and tourists seem to be many Italians, then lots of Germans (Austria possibly as well), and a good number of people from Slavic countries (based on language heard). At the beginning of September we saw few Americans in Rome (yeah, they stand out), and hardly any in Sicily. All that changed when we hit Sorrento, lots of Americans, then returning to Rome....Americans all over. My impression is that lots of Americans at least will be traveling in October, and crowds will stay about the same.

Have you had any issues with just having a CDC vaccine card? I ask because things like the Duomo's website saying the Green Pass is required and yeah I have read a bunch of times "dont worry they know Americans are not eligible for the pass and they will accept the CDC card". Still makes me nervous.

@Brian,
No problems whatsoever using our CDC card. always say, "I'm an American and have a CDC card," and be ready to state what it says if the writing on the card is hard to read. Sometimes we had to state when and which vaccine we had received, but the people who check are pretty used to it.

As an aside, they are limiting capacity at the Duomo so the lines are unbelievable (as you can't make a reservation). I'd say skip the inside and try again on another trip. It just doesn't make sense to wait 2+ hours when all those other sights (like Santa Croce, which had virtually no line) await. Just a thought.