Italy is still on lockdown in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 and while Italians sing from their balconies to keep each other strong, the streets of all major cities are deserted and tourists have disappeared.

 

The world-famous canals of Venice sparkle with unusually clear water, something that would be impossible with the high traffic of boats, vaporettos and gondolas that usually sail them and that hasn't happened in decades, you can see huge schools of fish swimming around, and swans have also been spotted floating through the canals of the Serenissima.

Dolphins were seen swimming into the port of Cagliari on the island of Sardinia, and in the same island wild boars have been seen scavenging for food in the city streets. Ducks are also swimming in the fountains of Rome, something that has happened before but that is of course helped by the fact that there’s no one around to disturb them.

 

And just as happened in China, pollution is down significantly in Italy since the beginning of the lockdown and the overall quality of the air has improved. The nation-wide isolating measures started on 9 March and will continue until 3 April.