**Since writing this post, the whole of Italy has gone on lockdown and the number of cases have increased. It is not advised that you travel to Italy at this time. Please remember that this post was written before Italy was declared a category 1. If you want to know how we got home once things changed, you can read this post**

Whilst half of the UK are panicking and stockpiling ibuprofen and toilet roll, I’m 1,100 miles away, sat in a hotel room in Venice. Italy is currently the country that has been the most affected by the Coronavirus in Europe. With over 5,000 confirmed cases and 200 deaths, the Italian government have placed 11 small towns in the north of Italy under lockdown. What does this mean for anyone wanting to travel to Italy at the moment?

Is it safe to travel to Italy right now?

Leading up to our trip, I was checking the government’s foreign travel advice for Italy. This is where you can find the most up to date information and advice on travelling to Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak. As of today, the advice is to avoid travelling to any of the eleven towns under lockdown. As there was no restrictions on travelling to Venice and the airline hadn’t cancelled our flight, we still went ahead with our holiday.

Which areas should be avoided in Italy?

The eleven towns that are currently under lockdown are:

• in Lombardy: Codogno, Castiglione d’Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo and San Fiorano
• in Veneto: Vo’ Euganeo

Are there any special measures in place when you fly to Italy?

One of the symptoms of the Coronavirus is a very high temperature. As we landed in Venice’s Marco Polo airport, the pilot told us that we would all have our temperature checked before passport control. We were met off the plane by specialists in suits and masks. Our temperature was taken from our foreheads with a scanner. This may not be the case for every airport when you travel to Italy.

There were several posters around the airport advising passengers travelling from China to self isolate. These posters also advised everyone to wash their hands properly.

Do you need to self isolate after returning from Italy?

At the moment, the UK government is only advising people returning from the affected areas to self isolate for 14 days. Anyone travelling from other areas of Italy only need to self isolate if they show any symptoms upon their return. We have been checking up on this every day to make sure nothing has changed. Luckily for me, I currently work from home and have no contact with anyone else during the day.

I have a hospital appointment on Wednesday after I return to the UK. With the Coronavirus, I wasn’t sure if I would need to reschedule after being in Italy, so I called the hospital to ask. I was told that they had no issue in me attending my appointment as I am not visiting the affected area. My parents have also called 111 and asked for advice from the NHS as to whether I should self isolate. They were told that Venice is fine as it is not an affected area. I will of course be checking the government website upon my return to see if I need to self isolate.

Is anything open in Venice at the moment?

We’ve been in Venice for two days now and have found that most things are open. There are a few smaller restaurants which have been closed, however churches, shops and museums are all open. The public transport is still running as normal without delays. We have been able to do everything that we have wanted to do so far.

What is the atmosphere like in Venice right now?

As you can expect, many people have cancelled their trips to Italy this week. There were only 21 people on board our British Airways flight from Gatwick which was very unusual. Venice itself is really quiet. Although I haven’t visited before, others have said that it is usually a lot busier than it is now. This is affecting the local tourism and the small businesses in the area.

Nobody has been panic buying hand gel and toilet roll (the shelves are fully stocked in the supermarket next to our hotel) and hardly anyone is wearing masks. The amount of masks we have seen is no different to what I would usually see in Birmingham on a normal day. I’ve seen around 5 people with them in the two days we’ve been here.

I have a trip to Italy in the next few weeks, should I go?

I can obviously only comment on the situation as it is right now. If you have a trip to Venice booked in the next few weeks, I’d recommend checking the government website for updates before you travel. If they advise against travel to the region you are going to, then stay at home. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend you consider your options, even if the area is deemed safe. Unfortunately, your travel insurance won’t pay out if you cancel the holiday yourself. If the airline cancel your flights or the government advise against travel to the region, then you won’t be out of pocket. Although Venice is fine at this moment in time, it could change within days.

Keep checking what the FCO are advising and check with your airline.

If you are immunosuppressed or you live with someone who is, you might want to rethink your trip. I can only speak as a relatively fit and healthy 30 year old. The number of cases in the UK is rapidly increasing, so you are more likely to encounter the virus at home at the moment.

Also, it goes without saying – GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. Don’t leave it until the last minute, you should always purchase travel insurance as soon as you have booked your trip. This can come in handy if your flights are cancelled or if you are ill. If we end up stuck here, we will more than likely be relying on our travel insurance to help us pay for accomodation and flights back home.

Any other advice for visiting Italy?

Just be hygienic! Everyone should be washing their hands regularly anyway, but carry hand gel around with you. Always wash your hands before you eat anything and try not to touch your face too often. I generally use hand gel whenever I get off public transport in any country and if I have been touching any railings or pressing lift buttons. Obviously, try not to lick any lamp posts.

If you have an upcoming trip, keep checking the government website before and during your trip for updates. Don’t fly if you are advised not to – not only does this put yourself and others at risk of the virus, it will invalidate your travel insurance.