*Any political tones in this blog entry are unintentional.*
It has been a long year for all of us. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of 2020, Italy has gone through two long lockdowns and two Prime Ministers!
The new Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, has decided that Italy has endured enough, and Italians cannot spend life in lockdown. It is time to open up and trust that citizens will take the right precautions for the good of the country. With that in mind, he has taken steps to open borders for tourism.
While Italy is ready to welcome the world again, they want to do it safely. The 27 member states of the EU are taking a unified approach. Italy currently requires a 10 day quarantine for all visitors. Once the borders officially open, they will require either proof of vaccination with only approved vaccines from the EU - Phizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Astrazenica - or proof that the traveler has recovered from COVID-19. If a traveler does not have either, they will not be admitted.
When visiting, travelers will still be required to follow local ordinances which may require face masks inside, social distancing and restricted hours at some businesses, including restaurants and bars.
Sprezzatura was a socially distanced tour before the pandemic. With our maximum capacity of 10 travelers, we spend a majority of our time of the beaten path visiting small boutique wineries.
I miss Firenze. And like many other International travelers, I am willing to abide by these regulations just to be back in Tuscany again. I have mentioned several times that I am offering an extremely generous Flash Sale as soon as borders officially open. The reason for the sale is because I realize that there may be restrictions, but I want to reward travelers with a sense of adventure.
My wonderful Italian friends are waiting. I hope you will join me.