Travelling during the pandemic: Canary Islands vs Italy

By Julia Zouitna and Sabrina Aledda

Travelling – that was the big dream of people from around the globe during the whole of 2020. Many people have been stuck on the opposite side of the world due to the pandemic, unable to reach distant relatives, friends, and their home countries.

The current situation shows that some countries have skyrocketing infections but still allow foreign guests to entry and exit, while many other countries have just gritted their teeth for a whole year, and are now allowing a gradual re-opening and thus the resumption of tourism.

The Italian situation

Travelling to Italy these days is “quite stressful”, said Debora Aledda, 27, a tour operator from Sardinia. “After several decisions, the government concluded that to enter the country, you need to have a negative Covid test before boarding and one within 24 hours after arrival and mandatory quarantine of 14 days,” she added.

Anyone who is planning to travel to Italy in the next few months should postpone their holidays,” she advised. “The situation getting worse and we are very behind with vaccinations. It is also true that the economy is collapsing, and the tourism and hospitality needs to work, but if it does not improve the situation, Italy will soon see the collapse.

“So, unless you have an emergency, do not travel to Italy. It is a difficult time for everyone, England is slowly getting up from their knees, but Italy needs a few more months, if not even more. Let us grit our teeth and Italy will get up and be more beautiful and welcoming than ever before.”

Life in the Canaries

Jekaterina Lemetti, 28, is an Estonian lifestyle blogger who recently travelled to the Canary Islands. Entering the country wasn’t easy, she said, but it was worth making the trip.

“It was a stressful experience because I knew I was travelling with my husband and my little daughter. I think if I was travelling alone, I would not worry much. However, as for the preparation, we needed to do a PCR test no more than 72 hours before the flight and that was it, ” she said.

Once she entered the country, Lemetti was pleasantly surprised. “We were very lucky because all the shops and restaurants are open. Of course, there are far fewer tourists than usual, but that’s even better,” she laughed, adding that everyone must wear a mask everywhere, even on the streets.

“Moreover, they have a curfew from 10 pm to 6 am, when you are not allowed to leave your house at all, only in case of an emergency.” 

If Tenerife is almost a free to move place now, Italy has completely transformed. The vibrant, life-filled balconies at the start of the pandemic have been transformed into cold places of desolation and total desperation. “Italy changes the colour of the regions once a month according to the trend of infections. The restaurants and bars only allow takeaways and the curfew is from 22:00 to 5:00,” said Aledda.

“Masks are mandatory even in open spaces, and if you do not have a proven need for travel from a city to another, you risk fines of 400€. Police patrols are everywhere, around every corner. You breathe an air of sadness and resignation, and you cannot see the light in the tunnel,” Aledda explains.

Planning your travel

People who used to travel a lot are now facing cancelled flights and closed businesses. Make sure you check out travel restrictions before you go.

“We had enormous waiting times between our flights, one of them being 12 hours,” said Lemetti. “It makes it hard to travel especially when you have a small kid.”

Aledda says people thinking of an Italian holiday should postpone their travel, as the “situation is getting worse and we are very behind with vaccinations”.

“So unless you have an emergency, don’t travel to Italy. It is a difficult time for everyone. England is slowly getting up from its knees, but Italy needs a few more months, if not even more.”

• Any additional information can be easily found on a gov.UK under travel section.