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The Local
news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

19 December 2020 09:56 CET+01:00

Updated:
22 December 2020 11:23 CET+01:00

Italy is adding extra restrictions over Christmas and New Year, sending the
country in and out of lockdown. Here's when the rules change.

Until December 20th:

Current restrictions remain in place, with a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 5am and all
museums, cinemas, theatres, galleries and other venues closed.

Shops remain open, though shopping centres must close on weekends.

Noticeboard
Bars and restaurants are only allowed to serve customers until 6pm, and in higher risk
'orange' zones, they cannot serve on the premises at all.
28/12 Country rental near Rome
Orange zones – currently only the region of Abruzzo – also face restrictions on travel,
28/12 Book on Italy for sale. A Girl’s
with movement between towns or outside the region only permitted in emergencies. Tuscan Dream
15/12 Official Language translator
Travel within or between yellow zones, for any reason, is still allowed.
15/12 English speaking architect in
Find more information about the rules in each zone here. Sicily/South Italy
14/12 Immigration lawyer
Where are Italy's Covid-19 risk zones? 23/11 Covid and Residency in Italy

Orange zone: Medium-high View all notices

risk, elevated restrictions Post a new notice
Yellow zone: Moderate
risk, baseline restrictions

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Information correct as of December 20th, 2020

Map: The Local • Source: Ministry of Health • Get the data • Created with Datawrapper

Restrictions on international travel continue to apply, with people arriving from most
countries outside the EU or Schengen zone only permitted to enter Italy for work, health,
study or other essentials, and subject to a 14-day quarantine.

Travellers from within the EU may enter Italy without justifying their reasons, but must
test negative for Covid-19 no more than 48 hours before they begin their journey – or
face two weeks of quarantine on arrival.

December 21st to 23rd: Regional travel ban and quarantine for international travellers

All the previous restrictions remain in place, plus there's a ban on non-essential travel
between regions – any and all of them, regardless of which colour zone they are.

The rules also get tighter for travellers arriving from the EU, who now have to observe a
14-day quarantine if they enter Italy on or after December 21st.

Bars, restaurants and shops can remain open in yellow zones within the usual rules,
though in orange zone Abruzzo they remain closed.

December 24th to 27th: Red zone

Italy goes into temporary lockdown, with maximum red zone restrictions applied across
the whole country.

People must not circulate within their own towns, between towns, or between regions
without a valid, urgent reason, though individual outdoor exercise is allowed near your
home.

There is one key exception: you are allowed to travel within the same region, no more
than once a day and with no more than one other person, to visit friends or family at
home. Children under 14 or others in need of care are also allowed to come.

Bars and restaurants are closed, as are all shops except food stores, pharmacies, news
agents, launderettes and hairdressers. Curfew remains from 10pm to 5am.

Everyone arriving from overseas must continue to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

December 28th to 30th: Orange zone

The whole of Italy becomes an orange zone: only essential travel is allowed between
regions, but you can circulate freely within your own town.

People in small towns (5,000 inhabitants or fewer) can travel within a radius of 30
kilometres in order to reach neighbouring comuni, but they must not go to the provincial
capital, even if it's nearby, to avoid crowding larger towns.

Bars and restaurants are closed to customers, though they can makes deliveries or
serve take-out until 10pm. Shops are allowed to remain open until 9pm.

Curfew begins, as usual, at 10pm and lasts until 5am.

Everyone arriving from overseas must continue to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

December 31st to January 3rd: Red zone

Italy returns to lockdown, with the same red zone rules as between December 24-27th.

People must not circulate within their own towns, between towns, or between regions
without a valid, urgent reason.

Individual outdoor exercise is allowed near your home and you are allowed to travel
within the same region, no more than once a day and with no more than one other
person, to visit friends or family at home. Children under 14 or others in need of care are
also allowed to come.

Bars and restaurants are closed, as are all shops except food stores, pharmacies, news
agents, laundrettes and hairdressers.

Curfew remains from 10pm to 5am, with the exception of New Year's when it extends
from 10pm until 7am on January 1st.

Everyone arriving from overseas must continue to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

January 4th: Orange zone

Back to orange zone rules again for one day: only essential travel is allowed between
regions, but you can circulate freely within your own town.

People in small towns (5,000 inhabitants or fewer) can travel within a radius of 30
kilometres in order to reach neighbouring comuni, but they must not go to the provincial
capital.

Bars and restaurants are closed to customers, though they can makes deliveries or
serve take-out until 10pm. Shops are allowed to remain open until 9pm.

Curfew begins at 10pm and lasts until 5am.

Everyone arriving from overseas must continue to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

January 5th to 6th: Red zone

Italy becomes a nationwide red zone again: people must not circulate within their own
towns, between towns, or between regions without a valid, urgent reason, though
individual outdoor exercise is allowed and you can make one trip within the region per
day to visit friends or family at home.

Bars and restaurants are closed, as are all businesses except food stores, pharmacies,
news agents, laundrettes and hairdressers.

Curfew remains from 10pm to 5am.

Everyone arriving from overseas must continue to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

From January 7th:

Travel between regions is once more allowed, unless any of them are designated local
orange or red zones.

Unless the government announces otherwise, schools are due to reopen for in-person
teaching. Ski slopes are also scheduled to open.

Curfew remains from 10pm to 5pm nationwide and all museums, cinemas, theatres,
galleries and other venues are closed.

Shops remain open in yellow zones, though shopping centres must close on weekend,
while bars and restaurants are only allowed to serve customers until 6pm.

International travellers who spent any part of the period from December 21st to January
6th outside Italy must continue to quarantine for 14 days after their arrival in Italy, even if
they're entering after the period itself. Find more information here.

People who leave and return to Italy after this time – i.e., people who spent the entire
period between December 21st and January 6th in Italy and are only travelling from
January 7th onwards – can show a negative Covid-19 test from the past 48 hours to
avoid quarantining on arrival.

Please be aware that different regions of Italy may have additional local restrictions.
Check the latest rules in places where you are: Nnd out how to do that here.

Why our members join

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country and without the language, I feel very isolated and if

it wasn’t for The Local and your articles, I am not sure how

I would survive.” – Alexandra, Sweden

We bring you all the essential news and information you need to stay informed with
what's happening in Italy.

We help explain everything you need to know about the ongoing coronavirus crisis
and cover essential issues from travel and taxes to jobs, visas, property and Brexit.

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Thanks for reading - Clare, Editor of The Local Italy

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