Since I wrote my last post about coronavirus, it turned from an emergency to something we had to learn to live with, while still maintaining the hope that will soon be over. If you are planning your destination wedding in Italy or if you miss it and want to know when Italian borders will be open again, this is the right post for you. Many people abroad are wondering how Italy is handling the coronavirus situation. Here is the latest 2021 news about covid and Italy.
The Color System
Italy is using a color system that changes every week depending on the number of cases. After the first massive lockdown from March to May 2020, the government realized there was no reason in limiting the regions that are not at risk, this is why the current system takes into consideration the local situation.
Here is the Italian color system explained:
White – white areas still have to respect the social distance, but they have very few restrictions.
Yellow – you can travel through the region, museums are open on weekdays, bars are open until 6 pm, restaurants are open for lunch, dinner is only take-away.
Orange – you can’t leave the city, bars and restaurants are open for takeaway only, museums are closed, events might be forbidden.
Red – all the lockdown restrictions are valid, you can leave your house only for necessity.
There is a curfew at 10 pm throughout the country. Borders with many countries are still closed. In order to travel to Italy, you must have a valid reason and test negative for Covid. Another test will be taken upon arrival. If you come from a country that is considered at risk, you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Traveling to Italy in times of Covid
Many people are dreaming of seeing empty streets of Rome or Florence just for themselves. Italian government currently recommends limiting unnecessary travel.
It is also quite difficult to predict what the color of the region will be upon your arrival, even if you buy a last-minute ticket. Moving between regions is currently not allowed, if not for work or health reasons.
As tempting as it can sound, there is a lot of uncertainty to be able to plan a trip to Italy with all these changes.
Weddings and Covid-19 situation in Italy
Since the situation is different every week it is not easy to plan events in advance. I understand how that can create anxiety when it comes to a wedding, but I am also optimistic about the situation.
People in Italy get vaccinated, especially those at risk. This means the situation will be gradually improving. Travel and events might be restored in the second half of 2021.
This means that if you want to plan your destination wedding in Italy in 2022, you can start doing so now. Many Italians postponed their weddings last year and this year, so many locations and vendors are already fully-booked for weekends.
Since you will have to travel and you will probably stay in Italy from 3 nights to a week or more, you can choose a weekday for your wedding to make sure you have the location and the vendors of your dreams that will make your wedding truly unique.
Organizing a wedding properly takes a year or so. You can start choosing a wedding planner and contacting her to organize your wedding ceremony and reception.
Let’s be ready for the day when we will be able to leave the masks behind and hug without fear, being proud of how strong this difficult situation has made us, and celebrating love together.
