Traveling to Europe During COVID

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Travel has been my “thing” for quite a while now. It’s one of the activities that brings me the most joy and helps reset my brain. For me, immersing myself into another culture expands my world view. In other words, I love to travel.

The last time I was out of the country was November of 2019, and I had already been planning the next adventure. I wanted to take my Brother and Sister-in-law, and niece to Italy for his 60^th birthday. We started planning, booking plane tickets and accommodations, then COVID hit. We had to cancel the trip. Needless to say, everyone was very disappointed.

As COVID ravaged the planet, Italy was hit especially hard. Especially Milan, which is where we were going to start our trip.

We decided to postpone for over a year, with hopes that the pandemic would be under control and we’d be allowed to travel internationally again.

We rebooked the plane tickets over Christmas break last year, and then when the vaccine rolled out, we began to feel some optimism about things. There seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I started booking Airbnbs and restaurant reservations. Then the Delta variant hit, and it was unclear if we’d be able to go again. It seemed like things were changing on a weekly basis. For a while there, the EU would not accept travelers from the USA as our infection numbers didn’t meet their health requirements. 

Then the EU decided that it would allow only fully vaccinated Americans to enter, and we finally had the green light.

Luckily, with we were able to go with quite a few travel restrictions:

• Proof of full vaccination (CDC Card – in Italy, it’s called a Green Pass)
• Proof of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the international flight
• Wear masks while traveling on public transportation and inside any venue
• Present proof of vaccination when requested in country

It was a lot of hoop jumping, but the trip itself went pretty smoothly.

We covered about as much ground as possible within a 10 day trip.

• Milan
• Cinque Terra (the Italian Coast)
• Tuscany (Stayed in a Medieval Mountain Town)
• Umbria (Stayed in a “Castle” in a Vineyard)
• Did day trips to Parma and Florence
• Rome
• And a special Pizza day down to Naples

It was my family’s first time to Italy, so that was fun for me to watch them experience Europe.

There was lots of pizza and pasta, driving, and wine tours.

But for me, it was so nice to be able to travel again. I can’t wait for more adventures.

There’s a tradition when you’re at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. If you stand with your back to the fountain and take a coin in your right hand and throw it over your left shoulder into the water it means you will return to Rome again. I rummaged through my pocket and found a 50 cent coin and tossed in into the water.

I guess that means I’ll see you again Italy.

-Ron

Ron Upshaw is a Licensed Agent at
Windermere Real Estate Midtown
1920 North 34th Street
Seattle, WA 98103