Visiting Italy for holidays just got a little easier for Brits as the country has eased its Covid rules for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.
The new changes come into force today (March 1), and mean that anyone aged six or over will need to show one of the following; proof of vaccination, a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours pre-travel, a rapid lateral flow test taken within 24 hours, or proof of Covid recovery in the last six months.
This means that vaccinated Brits will no longer be required to take a pre-travel test.
Meanwhile, the country has also changed the rules so that if you are able to meet the above criteria, you won't be required to self-isolate for five days on arrival even if you are unvaccinated.
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Travellers who don't have proof of Covid vaccination, negative tests or recovery will still need to self-isolate for five days, with a PCR test on the fifth day where a negative result will release you from isolation.
It's worth noting that there are still a number of Covid rules in place within Italy, such as face masks being mandatory indoors (children aged five and under are exempt).
Meanwhile until March 31, you'll need a Super Green Pass to access the likes of restaurants, bars, hotels, museums and other venues.
This can be obtained with either proof of vaccination or recovery - you can use the UK's Covid pass as long as there's a verifiable QR code. To be considered fully vaccinated you'll need to have received the last dose within 180 days, otherwise you'll need to have a booster jab.
Children aged 11 and under are exempt from needing a Super Green Pass - which means that children over this age will need to be vaccinated or have proof of recovery if they want to access the venues.
You can find out more in the Foreign Office's latest Italy travel advice.
Recent weeks have seen a number of holiday hotspots begin to ease up their travel restrictions for Brits.
For example Dubai, Greece, Portugal and France have axed pre-travel PCR tests for vaccinated travellers, while Iceland took one step further by scrapping all of its entry rules for both vaccinated and unvaccinated holidaymakers.
The UK's own travel rules also changed last month. Key changes included the axing of Covid tests for vaccinated arrivals, while unvaccinated travellers are no longer required to self-isolate for 10 days, although they will still need to take a pre-departure and a post-arrival Covid test (this can be either a PCR or antigen test).
It's not just short-haul destinations either. Destinations including Dubai, Sri Lanka, Canada, Vietnam and Australia have all reopened their borders and relaxed some of their travel restrictions, while New Zealand announced a phased reopening for 2022.
Do you think all countries should scrap pre-travel Covid tests for visitors? Let us know in the comments below.
