No Travel For the Rest of the Year?

I don't know of any "official" websites you could check, but I expect that travel in Italy will not be anywhere near normal for the remainder of this year. At this point there are too many uncertainties, and anything decided today could change in a few months if there's another wave of the virus.

Yes, and the risk of the virus flaring up again is present

Italian museums, monuments, beaches and parks will open in June (barring an unforeseen spike in new hospitalizations). All of them with some social distancing measures.

The restoration of international passenger traffic is still not decided and must be coordinated, at some level, with the rest of the European Union, for obvious reasons.

If (and that is a big if) the epidemic key indicators in Italy progress as they are now (i.e. high but manageable levels, with a downward trend, not straining the health system), I think international tourism would be reopened sometime this summer, with some restrictions (maybe an airport swab test?).

Now there are some radical people who, for reasons entirely unrelated to epidemiological concerns, want to use the pandemic to drastically cut down on short-term leisure travel, or just to wind down for good a significant part of the tourism infrastructure (hotels, airports, airlines), so they see doomsday scenarios as a boon to long for.

That would be quite remarkable for the Italian government to make such a statement.

You may have read such a statement in a few articles. Just because something is in print or online doesn’t mean that it is actually true.

Discernment is critical especially with so much garbage out there.

Trying to see if a planned to Italy tour in October will come off. Highly doubt it. If you were Italy, would you allow Americans into your country after all of the Covid-19 issues in Italy? We have one third of the infections and 4% of the world's population. How are you going to maintain self distancing on tours? I don't see much hope for tourism until the virus is totally purged from both countries.

This would have been my 17th year visiting Italy - part work, part personal time. I'm usually there between 6 and 8 weeks. I've done the 'tourist' itinerary (several times) and now look forward to 'being' in Italy. I stay in the same hotels or apartments. I have my favorite restaurants and cafes. I don't need to be entertained. As Italy re-opens, are the tourist targets (hotels, museums, theaters, archaeological sites etc) going to be ready to receive tourists who can be, at times, demanding? Sure, the economy needs the financial boost. But should we, the visitors, expect everything to be the 'way we want it to be' or the 'way it always was'? There's a part of me that thinks a grieving people needs some time to heal before they are expected to welcome guests. To that end, I am staying in touch with landlords, hotels, cafes and restaurants. Social distancing works across the ocean too. When they are ready to sit and enjoy a glass of wine, catch up on family stories, share moral and emotional support, and (hopefully) embrace with the personal affection that is SO Italian - they'll let me know and I'll make my plane reservations. Until then, they and everyone on this forum, and my own family and friends, have a place in my heart and thoughts. Forse a prossimo anno. Un grande abbraccio.

If you were Italy, would you allow Americans into your country after
all of the Covid-19 issues in Italy? We have one third of the
infections and 4% of the world's population.

My thoughts exactly. Countries that already went through hell are going to have a hard enough time keeping future resurgences of the virus at bay internally....how likely would they be swinging the doors wide open to reseeding from tourists, especially coming from places where there are a lot of cases (wouldn't that be political suicide of sorts if things go south)? No one knows, but I suspect that opening external borders to international travel will be a late step and a very cautious one.

An Italian point of view: who knows? :-D
We hope the virus could be contained and with new nursing method is even possible it will be much less dangerous. But is new, so we can only wait a little more and watch what is happening. Somebody says that the virus is losing strength by itself, somebody that it could became worst.

While it may seem counter intuitive, using official sources for "solid" information in a situation as this just does not work. Nearly all Governments rarely go beyond 30 days with any firm guidance, and hedge within that, indicating they may rescind or extend guidance at any time. On top of that, many Government officials are overly optimistic, promoting things being back to normal in no time, just flip the switch, that just will not happen, just as they will not shut things down 6 months out.

Even Businesses are taking it in small increments, RS himself will easily say that tours are most certainly not going to happen this Summer, and likely not to happen the rest of the year, but only "Officially" cancelling and refunding 1 or 2 months out and still selling tours for the Fall. As another example, I have a large International meeting in June, in London, at this time it is still "Officially" on, but the reality is that it will not happen. Nothing wrong with this, they just play it safe and plan for the best, realizing that things may change.

The reality is you would need to make your own calculation as to fall travel, accept some risk, be prepared to change plans, or lose some money.

You may have read such a statement in a few articles just because something is in print or online doesn’t mean that it is actually true.

In this case, there's no "true" or "false" for such a forward looking statement. Even an official source can't say with certainty that there will or won't be any tourists in Italy for the rest of the year.

I guess it can't be said enough.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT MONTH LET ALONE LATER IN THE YEAR. BE PATIENT.

We have our first trip to Italy scheduled for October this year for 20 days. Not sure what’s gonna happen. Do we reschedule for October 2021? Do we wait and see until August and make a decision than? Our flights have been changed like 4 times already so we have an out for refund if we want it. But if international travel is open we might SOL if we decide to wait. We want to go obviously. But this may be the new normal for everyone. Be safe out there!!

The question we ask ourselves is, "What is going to change in the next six month?" Our most frequent answer is. "Nothing1" Lots of hope, and expectations but nothing concrete. The bug is not going anywhere, is not going to magically disappear in April -- better hurry with only a couple of days left -- low probability of a vaccine or effective treatment this year, etc. We cancelled our Oct cruise starting in Italy because we would prefer to be sick at home rather than sick somewhere in Italy. There is no magic crystal ball so we can only take the present and project a future line very similar to current situation.

Anyone else trying to picture the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel with social distancing? Very funny (well, not really, sad to say I don't see how they can do it).

When I think about it the border even between Canada and the US is closed. How do we expect to get on planes, and head to Europe. Of course we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I don’t think multilayered travel will happen easily until there is a vaccination. I love to travel, but right now I am just hoping the weather improves here so I can make that long journey to my beautiful deck.

Might as well face reality. Fall trips to Italy are highly unlikely. Saying that, I am booked for one. Am waiting for the Tour Company to cancel, so I get back my deposit.

The reason you're not finding official sources is that it appears to be Russian disinformation. There was an article in Il Messagero about this. There's no way that the Italian government would make any such decision this far in advance without it being all over the international press.

https://www.ilmessaggero.it/viaggi/news/coronavirus_franceschini_turismo_italia_confini_fake_news_stranieri-5197515.html

"The reason you're not finding official sources is that it appears to be Russian disinformation. There was an article in Il Messagero about this. There's no way that the Italian government would make any such decision this far in advance without it being all over the international press.

https://www.ilmessaggero.it/viaggi/news/coronavirus_franceschini_turismo_italia_confini_fake_news_stranieri-5197515.html"

This answer is what I was looking for. Is it true there is a mandatory 14 day quarantine period for anyone entering the country? Official source?

Here is information from the official tourism website:
http://www.italia.it/en/useful-info/covid-19-information-and-updates-for-tourists.html

Be careful what you ask for, you might get it. Here is the official document from Prime Minister Conte that states in Italian of course that you are required to quarantine in isolation for 14 days upon arrival from a foreign country (Art 4, para 3)

Anyways, here in Italy, we haven't even left our houses yet. They are barely lifting quarantine restrictions (IMHO wisely so). We can go for a walk outside starting Monday but we don't know for how far or who we can go with or meet. Hopefully, they will clarify that soon. The only goal as of right now is to make sure infections don't rise and maybe then we can start moving around more freely, heck maybe we can even start going to the next town over. It all depends on how we collectively behave and whether or not we follow the rules. Everything is very up in the air right now. Yes, tourism is a big part of the economy but the death toll is close to 30k. Italy doesn't want to walk backwards and put itself in that situation again. Deciding on opening borders is a long way off.

Is it true there is a mandatory 14 day quarantine period for anyone entering the country? Official source?

Yes.

From the Italian Foreign Ministry website FAQ at
https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ministero/normativaonline/decreto-iorestoacasa-domande-frequenti/focus-cittadini-italiani-in-rientro-dall-estero-e-cittadini-stranieri-in-italia.html

I have pasted key excerpts here, but if you follow the link, you can read the whole thing. The Italian government has provided an English translation.

Italian nationals returning to Italy and foreigners in Italy

Which rules apply to persons travelling to Italy from March 28?

Before boarding, the carrier's staff is required to check the self-certification (to download the form) setting out the following detailed information: the reasons for travelling to Italy (health needs, work requirements, reasons of absolute necessity), the place of self-isolation for 14 days. . .

All persons entering Italy are required to self-isolate, including persons with their own transport. Persons travelling to Italy for work may postpone the start of the self-isolation period by 72 hours (which can be extended for a further 48 hours), albeit only if strictly necessary.
All persons entering Italy, including persons with their own transport, are required to report to the local health authorities on arrival at their destination.
All persons entering Italy may self-isolate either at home or other place of their choice.
If a person entering Italy has no place for self-isolation, or is unable to travel to their place of self-isolation (if they have no-one to pick them up, if there are no available hotel rooms, etc.), they will be required to self-isolate at a location established by the Civil Protection Service, at the interested person's expense.
The above rules do not apply to the following persons: cross-border workers, health services personnel, passenger/freight transport crews.

I guess it can't be said enough.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT MONTH LET ALONE LATER IN THE YEAR.
BE PATIENT.

Pretty much says it all FrankII

Who would have guessed a week ago that I would have dinner reservations at a nice restaurant this coming Saturday evening.

We are really hoping our November RS tour of Venice, Florence and Rome comes to fruition, it is part of our 50th Wedding celebration. However, we were to begin by landing in Milan on October 30th for a two day stay and then to Padua and after the RS Tour another week in Umbria and Tuscany. I think I have lined up some great lodging for this but I will really have to scramble if this is not going to be worthwhile or safe. When all is said and done, Chi vivra, vedra! (wait and see or he who lives will see).