Italy enters its second lockdown with empty tourist attractions

Thursday, November 19, 2020

One of the longest and stringest in Europe is Italy’s spring lockdown. This phase has provided extraordinary experiences and photos of all the leading tourist attractions with an empty look! The recent rules of the COVID in Italy sees regional borders closing and limited international travel, these tourist hotspots are once more vacant. The situation is no doubt pleasing but at the same time sad as well. Many businesses, mainly the tourism dependent ones wonder if they can survive a second travel hiatus.

However, with a full lockdown not yet imposed, it’s a chance for the locals to reclaim the city for themselves.

Venice gets quiet
Venice was once a poster-girl in regards to overtourism, this canal city was abruptly became the domain for the locals for several months this spring.

Even at during summers, constant restrictions related to travel prevented tourism from America and China meant the city was still a different place from the earlier years. The areas of Venice which had lost to crushing crowds of tourists previously are clearing again.

Roberto Ferronato, chef de rang at the historic Caffè Florian, has seen St Mark’s Square, Venice’s most iconic spot, throughout these months. As he waits at the tables of the cafè’s set out in the site, he saw its extraordinary emptiness. “In the city, at this moment, there are very few tourists,” Ferronato confirms.

For the locals whose life in Venice had got destroyed due to overtourism pre-COVID, the present moment is to be relished to the core. Previously their sleep would get disturbed by the raucous travelers at night, at present Venice falls silent in the evening. Venice’s narrow alleys which remained blocked, thanks to large tour groups are now easily traversed.

However, with livelihoods dependent on this sector, the city is suffering greatly as well. Caffè Florian, a Venetian institution in 2020 observed its 300th anniversary, has closed temporarily. Even though the pandemic regulations permit bars and restaurants to remain open until 6pm in the Veneto region, Ferronato explains, “We tried to resist but, unfortunately, with the new legal provisions the company does not currently have the resources to continue.”

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