Italy skiing

[jrek]

Anyone off to Italy this year?
Saw some great deals but wondering if I'd spend the whole week stressing about catching covid and getting stuck there...

I can only find articles saying no test required for EU citizens - doesn’t mention rules from UK.

Going next week so will be happy if it’s changed.

Yes - we're going on Sat - will be ecstatic if it's changed on 1st Feb (am on tenterhooks about having a positive test, even though we're in virtual isolation!). But haven't seen anything to suggest that's the case? I'm sure I read that Italy's next review wasn't until March. But please do point us in the direction of any new changes if you see them somewhere official.

We're going for half term, looks like we still need to lateral flow as not an EU country...

You still need an antigen/lateral flow to enter Italy, even after 11th February.

The changes from 11th February are that you now don't need a day 2 lateral flow test once you get back.

We arrived in Italy today... all paperwork in place, negative tests on the app etc etc...

Went through passport control, where a team of people in PPE greet you and ask for your paperwork, but honestly we could have waved our CVs under their noses and they'd have let us through! DH couldn't get the app to work to show his negative test, but the woman said it was fine because she'd seen mine!
Maybe they work on the assumption that you wouldn't travel without all the right stuff in place, but they certainly didn't check it. And our plane was virtually empty, so if that's what they do with a handful of passengers, who knows what they do with a full plane!

We travel tomorrow! Packing done and I can’t wait!

All documentation printed - directions / insurance/ covid test cert / locator forms / vaccination cert / boarding cards

Passports & ehic cards ready as well.

(I’m a travel worrier so like to have backups to my phone stuff which usually decides not to work when important)

If you can demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated
If you travel from the UK and can demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated, you can enter Italy without needing to self-isolate. In addition:

you must fill in the passenger locator form (EU PLF) before you enter Italy to get a QR code to show to your travel provider and Border Police. You can ask for paper form if you do not have an electronic device
you must show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before entering Italy OR a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours before entering Italy.

Does anyone know whether a NHS lateral flow will do the job or whether I need to fork out for private ones?

You can't use NHS tests @SlumMumBum.

Private ones, which are actually exactly the same as the lfts you can get from a pharmacy but the company you buy them from tracks their unique issue code

Ooh sending luck to you. We go Saturday. Have realised that you could literally take the antigen test any time and upload it within 24 hours before travelling to up your chances of covid not preventing travel.... Its a trust thing isn't it, but actually a bit of a farce.

I also have everything printed. Can't wait to get in the mountains 🙏

Have just completed the PLF to come home. All v straightforward now you don't need a test.

On way back from Dolomites, snow on runs but little elsewhere and town according to locals about 40% capacity. All shops etc massively struggling.

Covid a reason but they also rely heavily on Russian skiers & EU won’t recognise Sputnik vaccine .

Green pass checked everywhere.

That's interesting @Eve. I've always thought of the Dolomites as snowsure. It's on my hit list for next year.

Our green passes were checked 2 or 3 times the whole week which surprised me. Also no mask wearing outdoors, which also surprised me as it's supposed to be mandatory. But I was pleased not to have to ski in a mask. It was enforced on the one gondola we used, but nowhere else.

Has anyone just travelled to Italy and can advise… did you still have to do a test prior to leaving Italy to return to the U.K.? Did they do spot covid checks at the airport? And does anyone know what happens if you test positive when in Italy? Can you stay in private accommodation or do you have to go to a covid hotel? Many thanks

@ReviewingTheSituation masks are not mandatory outside anymore unless you are in a group of more than 5.

@Mamazee3 no test required to return from
italy to Uk if you are fully vaccinated. No spot checks at the airport but I arrived/departed from a small one.
I don’t know what happens but I don’t think they still have covid Hotels 🤔 In theory as you don’t have to test, you probably wouldn’t even know unless you have very strong symptoms. Anecdotally LF tests in pharmacies seem unreliable (heard of lots of false negative and then PCR was positive).

FFP masks for all passengers on all flights from/to Italy incl children over 5 are still mandatory. They didn’t let us enter the gate in UK without them.

We are just back last night. Had a fantastic week, a nice big snow dump on the Tuesday and Wednesday which was definitely needed and then wall to wall sunshine. We were in Madesimo. It was very quiet but it usually is there to be fair.

I had everything printed out as don't trust QR codes on phones and just handed the whole packet over to immigration and all was well. Big queue in Milan Airport at immigration though.

Our green passes were checked at the hotel on arrival and one other time in a restaurant up the mountain which we didn't use again. Did not get checked a single other time. Only asked to put a mask on on the bubble lift. Used masks walking around hotel but that was about it.

Have to complete a PLF to come home too, but that's quite straightforward. Between travelling out and back BA implemented the need to upload vaccination status doc to online check in and that was a bit of a pain. Didn't need to do that to check in a week ago.

Travelling back yesterday however, was a total nightmare as soon as we hit Heathrow. Huge delays, and we plus at least 15 other flights ended up leaving airport without our suitcases. Dh left baggage tickets on plane so that's going to make locating them and claiming them back super fun. A rubbish end to a fantastic trip, and ironic it was due to storms rather than covid.

My sisters and father are in a worse situation however, they flew out to Italy yesterday and their bags are still in london! Shambolic performance by BA.

Thanks so much - my son who is 13 isn’t vaccinated so wondered if he needed to have a test to return? Or whether they may do random checks on unvaccinated? Many thanks

@AdriannaP

Yep. Arrived in Italy after a 4 hour delay on Saturday. Zero communication from BA. They got us on the plane then announced no crew. So sat there for another 2 hours.
Arrived to absolute carnage at Geneva. Bags still not here, they left them in London. Apparently baggage handlers in Heathrow just gave up. It’s awful! The BA lady actually hung up on us yesterday.

Skiing is the one holiday where you really need all your kit! Managed to hire some but still. It’s a shambles.

Arrived in Cervinia on Friday via Milan, they couldn't be less interested in Covid regulations here it seems. I had done everything, lateral flows before we came, proof of vaccination, passenger locator forms, the works! Nobody has looked at anything!

There are lots of signs about saying super green pass required, but nowhere/nobody to show anything to. Passport control only checked the passports and nothing else.

Very strict in the UK about getting on the plane with an FFP2 mask only including DC and I would say about 90% compliance with wearing them here.

It's pretty quiet and we are having a wonderful time!

@Mamazee3

Thanks so much - my son who is 13 isn’t vaccinated so wondered if he needed to have a test to return? Or whether they may do random checks on unvaccinated? Many thanks

I don’t think so. But if he isn’t vaccinated he will need to continuously test in Italy to get the green pass. Without green pass in theory he can’t access restaurants, cafés etc

@Mamazee3

A “Green Pass” (website only in Italian), also known as an EU digital COVID certificate, certifies vaccination, recovery or negative test result. All travellers aged 12 and above must present a Green Pass or Super Green Pass to board an international flight from Italy. See ‘International Travel from Italy’ below.

You can obtain a Green Pass valid for 48 hours by testing negative to a rapid COVID-19 test available from local pharmacies and test centres. The test provider will print your test results and will email you a unique code. You will then need to access the Government website (in Italian) and enter your details. Select the option ‘Utente senza tessera sanitaria’ (‘User without a health card’). You will be prompted to enter the type and number of the ID you showed when you got your test, as well as the code on your test certificate. Click ‘Ricupera certificazione’ (‘Get certificate’) to download your digital test result.

This thread is super helpful thanks everyone.

Did some reading last night and it sounded like the covid pass on the NHS app counted as a supergreen pass - has anyone had any issues with this?

@SkiFan

This thread is super helpful thanks everyone.

Did some reading last night and it sounded like the covid pass on the NHS app counted as a supergreen pass - has anyone had any issues with this?

Yes that is what they scan, the covid pass is the super green pass.