Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

LIVING IN ITALY

What changes about life in Italy in February 2022?

From Carnevale to Covid-19 restrictions, here's what to expect this month if you live in Italy.

Published: 28 January 2022 09:15 CET
Updated: 1 February 2022 10:14 CET
People walk in central Florence.
Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP

Italy’s green pass rules tightened

Several of Italy’s rules around the use of health certificates change during February.

As of Tuesday, February 1st, customers must show a ‘basic’ version of Italy’s green pass to enter banks, post offices, public offices, tobacconists, bookshops, newsagents (except outdoor kiosks) and shopping malls, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi on January 21st.

The basic version of the pass is already a requirement for entry to hairdressers, barbers, and beauty salons.

These rules are in addition to the existing requirement of a ‘super’ green pass on all forms of public transport, in bars and restaurants, gyms, hotels, cinemas, theatres and sports stadiums.

READ ALSO: How do Italy’s Covid-19 rules change from February 1st?

Italy currently has a two-tiered green pass system in place, with the basic version of the pass available to those who test negative, alongside the ‘reinforced’ or ‘super’ green pass which proves the bearer is vaccinated against or has recovered from Covid-19.

From February 1st, fines can also be issued to over-50s who refuse to be vaccinated following the introduction of a vaccine mandate for this age group in January.

Those who haven’t completed their primary vaccination cycle or received their booster within the requisite timeframes also face the “one-off” 100-euro fine, the health ministry has confirmed.

From February 15th, all over-50s and staff at universities will also need the ‘super green pass’ to access workplaces.

See further details of the changing Covid-19 restrictions in Italy this month here.

Vaccine pass validity reduced from nine to six months

February 1st also sees the validity of Italy’s ‘super’ or ‘reinforced’ green pass, which can be obtained only through vaccination or recovery from Covid, reduced from nine to six months.

While Italian media reports that the government is considering extending the validity of the pass indefinitely for those who have had a third or booster dose, this change has still not been confirmed as of February 1st, and the government has not made any official statement on the issue. 

Keep an eye on our Italian ‘green pass’ news section for updates.

READ ALSO: Q&A: How will Italy’s new six-month Covid vaccine pass validity work?

A bar owner uses the VerifyC19 mobile phone application to scan a customers 'green pass' in central Rome.
A bar owner uses the VerifyC19 mobile phone application to scan a customers ‘green pass’ in central Rome. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Changes to the international travel rules

Italy has confirmed travel restrictions will be simplified from the start of February for arrivals from within the European Union.

Travellers will now only need to show proof of a recent negative test result, vaccination or recovery under the EU-wide health pass scheme, rather than both proof of vaccination AND a recent negative test result to avoid a five-day quarantine on arrival.

For arrivals from non-EU countries, the existing rules will be extended another six weeks.

That means arrivals from countries on the government’s List D can continue to enter Italy without a quarantine requirement provided they can produce both a vaccination certificate and a recent negative test; while entry from countries on its more restricted List E is permitted only under specific circumstances, and comes with a ten day self-isolation requirement

READ ALSO: How do Italy’s international travel rules change from February 1st?

Non-reusable plastics banned

From February 14th, Italy will implement the EU’s ban on single-use plastics, passed in Brussels last July with the aim of reducing plastic and microplastic waste in the world’s oceans by 30 percent by 2050.

Biodegradable and compostable plastic is exempt from the ban, but companies caught selling other single use plastic products will be subject to fines of between 2,500 and 25,000 euros, according to online magazine Benessere Economico.

Carnevale celebrations – and school holidays

Like France’s Mardi Gras, Carnevale is traditionally the Christian celebration before the restrictions of Lent begin on Ash Wednesday (February 14th). Parades, festivals and events take place across Italy, bringing a burst of colour to the dull month of February. Check your local comune‘s website for details of events in your area.

Some lucky schoolchildren in Italy also enjoy a holiday for carnevale. In the northern regions of Piedmont and Veneto, for example, the break begins on the 26th and 28th of February respectively. Holidays vary by region – see a calendar with 2022 dates for each part of the country here.

Sanremo Music Festival

The 2022 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival kicks off on Tuesday, February 1st. Love it or hate it, this is Italy’s answer to Eurovision and a major date in the nation’s cultural calendar. Here are ten facts about Sanremo to impress your Italian friends with.

Member comments

  1. I haven’t seen any official news from the government related to nightclubs and dance venues, in a normal world this would likely mean the decree will not be extended but based on how they managed the ski resorts last year I think no news is bad news and the chances are we’ll be hearing this weekend that the decree will be extended another month – which is devastating for the night time economy and the ski resort hospitality.

  2. Just wondering if you know whether you will need the green pass to enter the Questura, to pick up a permesso di sorgiorno. My wife is waiting for her tessera, which has been processed. Until then she can’t get her third dose, thus her green pass expires 1February. Thank you.

    1. Hi, you will need a ‘basic’ version of a green pass to enter the Questura and other public offices from Feb 1st, but not for “essential” reasons. The relevant decree doesn’t specify whether picking up a residency permit is classed is essential, so we can only suggest checking with the Questura.

      In the meantime, it may be possible to book a third dose without the tessera – here are some more details:
      https://www.thelocal.it/20220111/can-foreigners-in-italy-use-the-national-covid-vaccination-booking-website/
      https://www.thelocal.it/20210610/how-to-try-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-without-a-health-card-in-your-region-of-italy/

      With best wishes,
      – Clare

      1. So in her case, since her original green expires February 1, she would need either her third dose thus resetting here green pass or a negative Covid test in the requisite timeframe 72/48 hours?

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

LIVING IN ITALY

Quality of life: Is Trento really the best place to live in Italy?

Time and time again the northern Italian city of Trento tops the tables as one of the 'best' places to live in Italy. So why is this, and do local residents think the rankings are accurate?

Published: 24 July 2024 15:15 CEST
Quality of life: Is Trento really the best place to live in Italy?

Ranking somewhere to live as being the best (or worst) in the country is tricky. What may work for one person may not necessarily work for another, particularly in a country as regionally diverse  as Italy. 

Which is perhaps why it seems unusual that Trento, the capital of Italy’s autonomous Trentino–Alto Adige region, is repeatedly rated as the best in Italy for quality of life by various surveys.

The Alpine gem topped tables in 2019 and 2022 in a survey by ItaliaOggi and La Sapienza University, was voted as the greenest city last year by environmental watchdog Legambiente and has remained in the top 5 in Il Sole’s Lab 24 every year since 2012. 

READ MORE: Why are Trento and Bolzano rated the best places to live in Italy?

In Il Sole’s league table, Trento came in first place out of 107 Italian provinces for sports activities, air cleanliness and waste disposal, and quality of life for elderly people. Trento bypassed respective second-place category holders Trieste, Mantova, and Bolzano by at least four points in all three categories.

But does this really make it the ‘best’ place to live in the country?

For language teacher David Garyan, Trento was a case of love at first sight.

“I was immediately attracted to the landscape, the mountains,and  the rivers. It was the atmosphere and surroundings of Trento that really fascinated me,” he tells The Local.

After getting his master’s degree from the University of Bologna, David left his job in Ravenna and decided to move to Trento the same month.

“I’ve been here ever since and I don’t regret that decision.”

David arrived with his brother, who was studying at The University of Trento, from the USA in 2019. He split his time between Emilia-Romagna and Trentino while he was studying.

Some of his favourite spots in the area include Besenello Castle and Lake Molveno.

When asked if he agrees that Trento really offers the best quality of life, he replies: “The answer is a resounding yes.

“Though people’s priorities are different and young college students looking for nightlife might not find exactly what they were hoping for, Trento is, on the whole, the region with the best quality of life.”

READ MORE: Why Trento is ranked as Italy’s ‘greenest’ place to live

For Sumarth Kathanraj, a software engineer from Bangalore in India, his time in Trento was a invaluable step in his career.

“I was afforded the opportunity to transfer to IT company in Trento from India and worked my way up,” Sumarth says. “It’s known as Italy’s Silicon Valley, after all.”

The city of Trento is regularly ranked among the best – and least polluted – places to live in Italy. Photo by Joshua Kettle on Unsplash

Sumarth came to Trento in 2015 and left in 2022 after landing another job in Portugal, starting a family during his seven-year stint in the city.

“Trento is a blessed place to live in Italy, offering a high quality of life, beautiful surroundings, and a rich cultural experience,” Sumarth says. “The best thing about living in Trento is the quality of life and the slower pace of living.” 

Sumarth lists proximity to nature, cultural activities and a pleasant atmosphere as some of the reasons why he stayed so long. 

“Walking down to the city centre has a great vibe. It is not overly crowded like big or middle-sized cities, providing a more relaxed and enjoyable experience,” he continues.

He noted that there were some challenges however, including “the limited options for IT professionals like myself, which ultimately led to my decision to move,”

“Additionally, the language barrier can make it difficult to make friends and be more socially active, but it’s a hurdle that can be overcome with effort.”

It’s not only internationals who share this view. Pierluigi Sartori, a digital risk manager and Trentino native, has travelled and lived extensively throughout Italy.  He credits his mother’s Pugliese upbringing with having a mindset that’s not very ‘Trentino’, though he’s remained in Trento as his children live there. 

READ ALSO: ‘If you want quality of life, choose Italy’s sunny south over the efficient north’

As much as he loves the region, he finds the job opportunities and social scene lacking; he commutes daily to Milan for work as the salary in his field is significantly higher there.

“In Italy, every city has its own characteristics, both social and cultural. Some are more lively, others less so. Trento falls into the latter category. It’s a very closed city both culturally and socially,” he says.

He says this is due to Trento being somewhat isolated geographically from other cities and says in Verona and Padua the social scenario is completely different. 

“I’ve lived in various Italian cities: Rome, Caserta, near Gallipoli, Milan, Treviso. In these cities, people are more sociable. For them, organising events that allow socialising is normal. Even just a simple dinner at their home.

“But Trento is different. People are more close-minded and snobbish.”

He argues nowhere should be labelled as the ‘best’ place to live, and that Trento certainly is not the best place for teenagers

However, he does recognise the beauty of Trento and its surroundings  and agrees that its cleanliness is a huge bonus.

“I don’t think that Trento is the best place to live in Italy but not the worst either. It’s the classic small provincial town that doesn’t offer many opportunities.”

It just goes to show that rankings of places to live are extremely subjective.

SHOW COMMENTS