Europe opens up for tourism

The first day of June has seen lockdown restrictions eased in a number of European countries, with residents from Athens to Amsterdam flocking to museums and bars for the first time in months. Many countries are eager to kick off the tourist season on Pentecost Monday, a public holiday in several European countries.

In Italy, Rome’s Colosseum has reopened to visitors, along with the Vatican museums and the Sistine chapel. Visitors will have to maintain strict social distancing and crowd control limits the amount of guests.

"We are reopening a symbol. A symbol of Rome, a symbol of Italy," said Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum’s archaeological park. Tourism accounts for 13% of the Italian economy. Italy was among the first countries to put a strict lockdown in place, and has over 230,000 confirmed cases while 33,415 people have died.