- If you're planning to visit
Rome ,Italy , it's important to be aware of local advisories. - From the latest on COVID-19 to the best time to visit Rome, here's what a local wants you to know.
Accessible, beautiful, and with near year-round sunny weather, Rome is an easy city to visit. But as a local living in Rome for the past 20 years, the rule of thumb I always repeat is, check and double-check your plans, because weather and an evolving global pandemic can quickly change.
COVID-19 advisories
Italy was hit hard by COVID-19 and, in response, set up stringent regulations. I spent two months in my home in Rome, leaving only for necessary shopping, and was given a maximum 250-meter radius in which I could roam from home alone.
For those of us living in the city, we spent the following 12 months keeping up with regional and local rules and restrictions. The good news is that the country also upped its tech capabilities to provide real-time information and updates.
As of this writing, Italy ended its state of emergency status, removed its Green Pass requirements, and is in the process of phasing out the remaining restrictions.
The first thing I always suggest to anyone planning to
Here are a few other key points to know.
- Quarantine: If you arrive in Italy and do not have a valid vaccination, recovery certificate, or negative test result, be prepared to stay at your hotel or apartment and self-isolate for five days, until you test negative with a molecular PRC or rapid antigen test. If you test positive for COVID-19 during your stay in Italy, you are required to self-isolate for seven days, and until you test negative (a molecular PRC or rapid antigen test). Self-isolation means you cannot go anywhere but your room.
- Testing: There is no negative molecular PCR or rapid antigen test requirement or quarantine period to enter Italy as long as visitors present COVID-19 certificates such as completion of vaccination series or a COVID-19 recovery document (medical note). Italy considers "full vaccination" to be at least 14 days after the second or booster dose. Unvaccinated travelers will need to provide a negative test result from a rapid antigen or molecular PCR test within 48 or 72 hours, respectively, before entry into Italy. Home tests and rapid antigen tests are available in most pharmacies and results are usually available within two hours. Molecular PRC tests are available in clinics and medical facilities with results received in 24 hours.
- Masking: Face masks (FFP2/KN95) are mandatory for all forms of transport, in hospitals and nursing homes, in cinemas and theaters, at concerts and indoor sporting events, hair and beauty salons, and in schools and universities through June 15. They are no longer required for entry into shops and other indoor spaces but are recommended.
- Rules for children: All children under six years of age are exempt from the pre-departure swab and self-isolation requirements if their accompanying parent or guardian is not subject to this obligation (i.e., vaccinated or recovered).
When is the best time to visit Rome?
The knee-jerk answer is anytime. Rome is gorgeous all year, and we often brag that the climate is such that we dine outside for 10 months of the year.
The more nuanced answer is that visiting Rome is best when the weather is mild and there are fewer crowds, meaning mid-October through early November, and January through early March. Keep an eye on the forecast because there are rainy periods in the fall and late winter.
From Easter forward, hordes of people converge in the city center, in the piazzas, and at major tourist sites. By July, the sweltering summer heat causes Romans to avoid the city, and by August, the city traditionally quiets as residents leave for vacations and businesses close for the holidays, though more recently, many stay open. A word of advice for summer visitors: Don't leave any reservations to the last minute, book in advance.