Delta operating COVID-tested flights between select cities
Each announcement of a border reopening or removal of quarantine requirement comes with a feeling of euphoria about international travel resuming and the world once again being open to us. Perhaps none has been as big as Italy’s announcement that American leisure travelers can enter without quarantine if they travel on special COVID-tested flights.
Italy is perennially one of the most popular destinations for Americans, with more than 3 million visiting in 2019. And what’s not to love? There’s the great cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice. There’s the beautiful regions of the lake country, Tuscany, and Puglia. There are breathtaking coastal areas such as Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast. There are the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Capri, and so many others. Pizza, pasta, seafood, all our favorites. And the wine! As Americans have been sheltering at home and taking vacations in their own backyards, many have dreamed of Italy. Now they can go. However, booking a trip to Italy requires careful planning and research to ensure a memorable and hassle-free travel experience.
The special flights are on Delta, flying to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, Milan’s Malpensa, Naples’ Capodichino, and Venice’s Marco Polo out of select U.S. cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (JFK and Newark Liberty), Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Be aware that not every nonstop between these cities is one of the COVID-tested flights, so be sure to check before booking.
When you get there, things might be a little different than you remember. Italy has taken advantage of the pause to reimagine its tourism offerings, hoping to create a more sustainable environment. Large cruise ships many no longer enter Venice’s Giudecca canal as part of an attempt to preserve the fragile city built on water. Some museums will spread their art over a region rather than house everything in a major city center. The idea is to avoid overcrowding, which had clogged the country’s most popular cities and sights in the before times.
It might be the Italy of your dreams, but even better. Time to start living la dolce vita.
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