Will Covid rules curb my holiday to Italy?

Q I have recently booked a family holiday to Taormina in Sicily on 1 June. My wife is classed as unvaccinated because more than nine months have passed since her second dose of the vaccine. What rules are likely to be in force?

Chris J

A The beautiful hill town in eastern Sicily, close to the restlessness of Etna and the warmth of the Mediterranean, will be a joy at the start of June. And I hope that by then Italy’s complex Covid accreditation system will have eased.

At present, the Italian government specifies two grades of passes that allow access to many public facilities: green and supergreen. Either is currently required for access to many public venues – including indoor restaurants, public transport and reaching the departures area of airports.

In practice, during my stay I have been asked only a couple of times to show one, but of course it is essential to comply with the rules wherever you are.

The supergreen pass is an easy win for British travellers who have had a Covid booster jab. Showing the NHS QR code certifying such vaccination should generate a big tick on the scanners they use. For a while boosters were regarded as having an expiry date, but that constraint was lifted at the start of April.

The green pass has a lower bar: your wife could obtain one valid for 48 hours at a time by testing negative with a rapid Covid-19 test at a local pharmacy or test centre (hotels will point the way to the nearest). This generates a code that the traveller can use to get a temporary permit. The only current benefit of having a supergreen pass over a green pass, as far as I can see, is access to performances in theatres and sporting arenas. So you should be able to enjoy almost everything on the island together.

Having said that, all the indications are that, from 1 May, green passes (super or not) will be required only for visits to hospitals and nursing homes. So with luck your trip will be largely restriction-free.

Requirements for wearing FFP2 face masks will remain in place for the time being – though by the time you arrive, the obligation may be dropped.

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Q I live in south Devon. Which are the best websites for self-planning options or “green travel” companies that will take me to Europe by boat and/or train? Also, which lesser-known European destinations are your personal favourites reachable without too much complication and without flying?

Pam S

A For independent planning, I suggest you consult the international rail site Seat61.com, which contains a wealth of expertise on trains around Europe and the world – as well as details of connecting ferries. Regarding green travel companies: my excellent colleague, Helen Coffey, who is a flight-free specialist, recommends Byway Travel (“Joyful journeys by train and boat”) and the No-Fly Travel Club (“Sustainable rail trips for adventurous souls”).

Helen’s top personal pick is “beautiful Slovenia, very accessible by rail via Paris and Munich”. I popped this question on Twitter, too, and the answers included: Fehmarn Burg with “direct trains from Hamburg and very nice pancake house,” said Shawn Collier; Heidelberg, Interlaken or Stresa, recommended by Stephen Mason; Harz Mountains, said another Stephen, whose Twitter handle is @MostlyByTrain; Orleans, southwest of Paris, which Chris Bates said is “simple to get to, but in all my visits there (17 so far) I have only once heard another British voice”; and Turin, which Dorset Glassboy said “can be done in a day by train crossing Paris with a scenic journey through the Alps”.

My personal view on nearby destinations that are less celebrated starts with southern Belgium and Luxembourg; the latter has free public transport. I also love the Charente-Maritime area between La Rochelle and Bordeaux in western France, in particular the small and fascinating city of Rochefort and the lovely coastal region around it.

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Q When trying to complete the passenger locator form for Portugal, the digital form wouldn’t accept the accommodation postal code. We tried various combinations, and staff suggested using the airport postcode. But nothing worked. I said I could write the address or complete a paper copy, neither of which was acceptable. So because of this we couldn’t fly. The airline said it wasn’t their fault. Is there anything I can do to get a refund of my £350 flight? I do have travel insurance.

Tracy C

A Everyone heading for the country (with the exception of Madeira) must complete an online Portuguese passenger locator form. I infer from your question that you began the process for applying for it rather late in the day – possibly at the airport itself. The official requirement says it should be completed “after check-in and before departure time” – which could be interpreted as meaning it could only be done at the airport. In fact, you can fill in the form 96 hours before arrival, and therefore identify any pitfalls with some time to spare

I have tried to replicate your experience without success, so I do not know what went wrong. Portuguese postcodes take the form 1234-567; when I don’t know where I will be staying, I tend to use the Algarve Holiday Inn, which is 8365-101.

Why couldn’t you write down this trivial detail, though? Because only online applications are accepted. Sharon Cleator, my resident travel expert on the Algarve, explains: “The information on this form is used by the DGS (Health Authority) to trace passengers in the event that they may have been in contact with other passengers who may have the virus. For this reason, only the online form is acceptable as this is the only method to update the DGS database.”

Each traveller needs to generate a unique QR code. Ironically, this can then be presented in paper or digital format. Without it, boarding will be denied – the airline simply isn’t allowed to fly you.

It’s sad and upsetting that you lost your trip and your money, but I am afraid I can see no way (including travel insurance) to get any recompense.

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Q Between booking a holiday to Madeira and taking out travel insurance, my father very sadly suffered a stroke. He has made a really good recovery and is keen to travel. But the cost of insurance he has been quoted by his travel agent – £161 – is nearly as much as he paid for the holiday. Can you suggest any cheaper alternatives?

Name supplied

A For people in your father’s position, I recommend specialist insurers such as All Clear, and other companies that have a focus on covering existing medical conditions such as Staysure rather than travel agents (though a good agent will consult such experts). The cheapest quote I can find for a week in Madeira, or anywhere else in Portugal, is £114. For comparison, basic travel insurance for someone with no current health worries is available at less than £10 for a week.

I realise that such an unexpected additional cost may be a really serious impediment to travel. But there is a rational alternative: to take a positive decision not to insure. The post-Brexit UK Global Health Insurance Card covers medical treatment on the same basis as local people in all 27 European Union countries; it entitles the holder to health care for free, or at very low cost, at public hospitals.

Anyone who has an existing European Health Insurance Card can use it until the expiry date. (Any UK resident with neither card can still claim medical treatment in the EU27 by contacting the NHS Overseas Healthcare Service in Newcastle.) As the travel industry and the Foreign Office will point out, the card does not cover any private medical health care; in the unlikely event of needing care, he will need to attend a public hospital.

Air ambulances are not covered, and naturally there is no cover for events such as lost possessions or Covid-related cancellations. Even so, I know of a significant number of travellers whose existing medical conditions or advanced age means policies are very expensive, and instead choose to rely upon the right of reciprocal medical treatment instead of travel insurance.

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