Italy Review Blog - Monday 1st February 2021

Today sees the start of my new blog; I'm calling it a daily blog at this stage as that's my intention but life will inevitably get in the way from time to time. As I write this first post at the beginning of February 2021, the world is still hamstrung by the coronavirus pandemic which continues to have a huge impact on all of our daily lives. 

One of the main effects of the pandemic is confusion: nobody knows if or when things will get back to normal, and one of the aims of this blog is to provide clear and up to date information about what's happening in Italy in terms of travel and tourism. 

Over the last few days there have been a couple of interesting developments that have lifted spirits and can be seen as a cause for optimism. As of today, one of Italy's most important cultural attractions, the Vatican Museums, will be opening its doors once more after a closure of 88 days. Not since world war two have the museums had to close for such an extended spell but the fact they are now open again is a real boost for the city of Rome and Italian tourism in general. It was once the case that you could simply turn up on the day and buy your tickets for the museum complex but for the moment, pre-booking is required via the official Vatican Museums website here.

Another piece of news which has captured a lot of attention in Italy, surrounds the tiny island of Procida which lies between Naples and its larger neighbour: Ischia. The big news for Procida is that it has been named the Italian Capital of Culture for 2022. Having beaten off some stiff competition from cities on the Italian mainland, Procida has become the first island to receive the award. As a result, the normally sleepy island will become a hive of cultural activity with a number of events planned and tourism facilities improved. 

Much of Procida's modern fame comes from its involvement in the film Il Postino where it provided the backdrop to the majority of scenes, while the Sicilian island of Salina saw the remainder. Along with neighbouring IschIa, Procida also played a leading role in The Talented Mr Ripley starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. Procida is home to one of the most stunning sights in southern Italy: the colourful Marina Corricella. Climb the hill overlooking the marina for some spectacular views which take in the whole Bay of Naples, with the city of Naples itself at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. 

You can get more insight into Procida by visiting the pages of my Ischia Review website (link at the foot of this page) and navigating to the Procida section. 

I'll be back with more tomorrow but for now I'll leave you with today's photo: Marina Corricella in Procida.

Marina Corricella, Procida