Since the beginning of June, when Italy lifted restrictions on interregional travel and reopened its borders to European tourists, most trips in the country no longer involve paperwork – with a few exceptions.
While tourism is allowed and you don’t need to justify your reasons for travelling, some of Italy’s most popular summer destinations now ask visitors to register with the regional authorities in order to track and trace anyone potentially bringing the virus with them from elsewhere.
The process is separate from showing your ID when you check into tourist accommodation, which is standard practice all over Italy; now it is travellers’ responsibility to give their contact details directly to regional authorities by filling in a designated form.
The measure aims to help protect regions that have so far had fewer cases of coronavirus as people begin returning home from other parts of Italy or heading south for a beach break.
The rules apply to everyone arriving, regardless of where they’re from or where they live.
More than 20,000 people had already registered their arrival in Puglia within 24 hours of travel restarting on June 3, the region said, with the vast majority coming from other parts of Italy – mainly the worst-hit northern region of Lombardy.
While no other regions currently require visitors to register, others have introduced different measures to monitor travellers.
Sicily has created a voluntary app, Sicilia Si Cura, where non-residents can log their presence and health status and alert authorities if they develop symptoms.
Both Lazio and Campania have introduced temperature checks at train stations, ports and airports to monitor travellers for signs of fever.
People with a temperature of over 37.5°C will have to undergo a test for coronavirus and may be denied entry.
