lauramsgarden

I know this was a big anxiety producer for me prior to our recent trip to Italy so I thought I would briefly share our experience:
1. although we had purchased the online Qured kits to use for the testing both before and coming home, we ultimately opted to go to a local CVS for the rapid antigen test before and to a pharmacy in Italy for the return test. Both were easy and quick. The hotel helped us set up the return test but honestly there were tents and pharmacies set up everywhere to provide the tests. Cost 22 euros each. I will use the kits as at home tests as needed as it seems this virus isn't going anywhere.
2. We had no trouble using the CDC cards as proof of vaccination. Do bring picture ID with you though - some museums asked for it.
3. almost every restaurant and all museums asked to see the cdc card - they take it seriously.
4. Masks were worn without issue indoors including in taxis everywhere we went. Outdoors mostly people were unmasked.
5. Although they are seeing some anti -vaccination protests over the recent vaccine requirement for work, mostly people took the virus seriously and supported the health measures.

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. Safe travels.

Dukey1

Thank you for that information. I am hoping by the time we take our annual trip to Verona next year a lot of these testing requirements will be things of the past

theresarad

Thank you for that information. I have been anxiety ridden over having the right forms for France and then for Italy. As I recall from your earlier posts ( which I LOVED) your last city was Rome. We will also be looking for a pharmacy to test before returning to US. You make it sound like its not too difficult to find a pharmacy. Did you have an appt or just walk in?
I'm looking forward to being in countries that take covid seriously so , again, thanks for that!

lauramsgarden

Hi theresarad, our hotel made the appointment at a pharmacy 15 minute walk away, but honestly I think we could have just showed up. They had a separate little trailers where they were doing the tests. Also, I saw a tent set up on a street right next to the Spanish Steps. The hotel also would have arranged for a doctor to come to the hotel to do the test, but that would have been 3 times as expensive and seemed unnecessary. And thank you for your kind words about my trip report happy travels

progol

We just returned from a trip to Croatia and Italy a few days ago. We didn’t need to take any Covid test to enter Italy, as we’d been in Croatia (an EU country) for more than 2 weeks prior to arrival and we have the CDC cards verifying our vaccinations.

We returned to the US from Naples, and our hotel just noted where the pharmacies were nearby, saying that all we needed to do was walk in. There was no need for an appointment for the antigen test, but if you need to do a PCR test, you will need to have an appointment. The antigen test cost €15 pp.

And the CDC card was all we needed whenever we were asked for the Green pass. Everyone was familiar with it and had no problem accepting it. One place (a small museum) asked for a picture ID, but that was the extent of it. We were never turned away from anything we tried to do.

starrs

Thanks for the info.

isabel

Thank you so much for this info. I really want to start planning a trip to Italy for next March/April but it's so painful to have to scrap another planned trip. This gives me hope that I can start planning and not be disappointed (again).

BlueRidgeboots

Thank you for the info. I've been reading articles about getting tested before coming back to the states and finding it very easy to get tested in plenty of time. Our trip has moved, like so many on here, from 2020 to 2021 to 2022. I think we're finally going to get to go back this time. Glad you were able to go. Going to look up your report now.

progol

Isabel,
Travel to Italy (and Croatia) was so much easier than I had feared - I wouldn’t hesitate to plan a trip there for the spring. Of course, we don’t know what will happen in a few months, but it certainly feels generally more hopeful. Having had my share of cancellations over the last nearly 2 years, it was really wonderful to be able to travel internationally again.

I’m mulling over my options for the spring now that we just got back.😁

lauramsgarden

You are all so welcome, I look forward to reading your trip reports wherever you may go!

annw

We got back a week or so ago from Italy.

We did use the Abbott/Binax home test with Telehealth both going and coming--we were flying back to US out of Naples at 6 a.m. and were only there a night so thought we might have been challenged making the connection with a pharmacy at the correct times for the 72 hour window.

The tests worked fine -- required Wifi connection, took about 20 minutes total, they emailed a pdf and uploaded the results on the phone app (NAVICA is the easy-to-use app).

We had twice-postponed the trip but are glad we went this time, despite the extra administrative work.

studenttobe

This is great to know—thanks! I have some Binax tests at home and didn’t realize they were being accepted with telehealth. I’m flying on Luftansa to Frankfurt on Sunday night from the US (and transferring a few hours later from Frankfurt, also on Luftansa for a flight to Rome). I was trying to get clarification from a Luftansa US representative on the phone last night on precisely this matter, but was unable to get a clear answer I will use Binax with telehealth as a backup in case my test results from Walgreen don’t arrive on time.

bilboburgler

good to know, thanks

2idocs

The Binax self-tests you get at the pharmacy/Amazon don't work unless you've purchased the version that includes a virtual proctor to monitor your test-taking.

If you're not sure which you have, the correct ones include a QR code to be scanned prior to opening the kit.

annw

What 2idocs said.

Has to be the tests that come with Telehealth/proctor -- I purchased ours from eMed -- $150 for 6 tests.

architetta

Thank you so much for the current information lauramsgarden, progol and annw. Your experiences there and your trip reports, lauramsgarden, are encouraging and helpful. We have a trip planned to Italy (mostly Rome and Salerno) for Christmas/New Year and, honestly, I'm still wavering about going.

lauramsgarden

You are welcome architetta, for what it's worth, you are probably safer covid wise in Italy than here.(USA) Yesterday I went grocery shopping and was one of only a handful of people with masks on. In Italy everyone wore masks indoors without fuss

studenttobe

Great to know re the tests-and glad you enjoyed your trip.

studenttobe

Thanks so much for the clear info-will make sure I have the right type of test kit.

lindatx

Thanks so much for this - we leave in less than a month . Quick follow-up - do you know if they would take a picture of the card or did it have to be the physical card?