Holidays in Europe possible despite the corona virus: What you need to consider when traveling

The summer holidays in Bavaria begin on Monday, and in Baden-Württemberg on Thursday – students in all 16 federal states have free time for a few days at the same time. The best time to go on holiday – if it weren't for the corona pandemic.

Many non-European travel destinations no longer apply due to entry restrictions and travel warnings. Holidays in European countries are possible. The Federal Foreign Office (AA) had extended its worldwide travel warning by the end of August, but this no longer applies to the majority of European countries. But each travel destination has its own peculiarities. An overview.

Belgium

Tourists from Germany can enter without any problems, border controls or quarantine rules do not apply to them. Due to the increasing number of cases, Belgium has tightened the precautionary measures against the coronavirus since Saturday (July 25th). Then a mask requirement applies in public places such as markets, shopping streets and other places with a lot of public traffic. Local authorities can extend the rule. Mouth-nose protection is mandatory in buses and trains. Guests in pubs and restaurants must leave contact details.

Additional rules sometimes apply on the North Sea coasts: holidaymakers and locals must register for visits to the beach at certain sections, such as in the popular Ostend. Infection numbers in the country, which has eleven million inhabitants, rose 89 percent last week and now averages 221 cases per day. Belgium has introduced quarantine rules and test requirements for travelers from particularly hard-hit regions, including areas in Portugal and Spain.

Bulgaria

There has been no quarantine requirement for holiday guests from all EU countries since mid-July. However, travelers from Sweden and Portugal must have a negative corona virus test. So far, however, the number of guests has been quite low: July is strangely quiet on the sandy beaches and promenades. Many large hotels in the seaside resorts on the Black Sea are still closed because it is uncertain how many guests they can expect.

The hotels that are already open have adjusted to corona protection measures – such as greater distance between tables and chairs. Because of the rapidly increasing number of cases of corona, mouth-nose masks are again mandatory in shared closed rooms – for example in supermarkets, pharmacies, authorities and churches. Night clubs have been allowed to open the interior areas again since July 13, however, even if there is only one guest per square meter.

Denmark

After the Danes were one of the first countries in Europe to close their borders for foreigners without a specific reason for entry on March 14, Germans can now re-enter. The only condition: you must have booked six overnight stays in the country. Exceptions apply to Germans who own a Danish summer house, want to visit their partners in the state or are residents of Schleswig-Holstein. The number of new infections is low in Denmark. Restaurants, cafes and shops have been open since May, there is no obligation to wear a mask.

Finland

Germans and many other Europeans have been allowed to enter the country again since mid-July. The travel warning issued by the Federal Foreign Office regarding the corona pandemic was also lifted on July 13, which means that German travelers are no longer subject to any restrictions or quarantine regulations in the event of a holiday in Finland. It is crucial for the Finns that fewer than eight new corona cases per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded in the respective countries within a two-week period.

France

Tourists from Germany can enter without problems, special documents are not necessary. You don't have to quarantine there. The number of new infections has risen again slightly recently, authorities have called for compliance with the corona rules. Masks are mandatory in public transport and in closed public spaces such as shops and market halls.

Museums and sights have opened in Paris, and Disneyland near the French capital is welcoming visitors again. Tickets for many sights are limited so that visitors can keep enough distance. In most cases, they have to be reserved or bought online in advance. Many restaurants in Paris have expanded their terraces to accommodate more guests outdoors.

Greece

Entry from Germany, Switzerland and Austria as well as almost all EU countries is free. There is no quarantine requirement. However, travelers must register electronically at least 24 hours before arrival, indicating where they were before and where they will be in Greece. An algorithm then calculates whether and which travelers have to take a corona test after their arrival. Caution: Failure to comply with this provision may result in a fine of 500 euros.

Masks are only required in public transport, museums and archaeological sites. If you keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters in bars and restaurants, you do not have to wear a mask. Greece remains one of the EU countries with the lowest infection rates.

Great Britain

Travelers from Germany and around 70 other countries can again enter without restrictions. These include Austria, Switzerland and Italy. For travelers from the USA, Brazil, Sweden, Portugal and other countries, the obligation to quarantine for two weeks still applies. Britons returning from Spain have also been in this quarantine since Sunday after the number of new corona infections in Spain has risen again.

Before entering the UK, a contact form must be completed. It is worth taking a look at the Internet shortly before the start of the trip, the list of countries exempt from quarantine may change constantly and differ slightly in the parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are also differences in the mask requirement. While in England and Scotland masks have to be worn on public transport as well as in shops, the mask requirement does not apply in Wales and Northern Ireland when shopping.

Ireland

Travelers from Germany must remain in isolation for two weeks after arriving in Ireland. Only a small number of countries on a "green list" are exempt from this rule. These include, for example, Italy, Greece, Finland and Norway. Contact details must also be left on entry. Travel is allowed again within the country, including to the islands. Masks must be worn in public transport, shops and other closed spaces.

Iceland

The island in the North Atlantic, which is heavily dependent on tourism, introduced the possibility for holidaymakers in mid-June to be tested directly upon entering Corona. This gave international tourists an alternative to the 14-day quarantine that had been mandatory since April. This requirement no longer applies to German Icelandic adventurers, which is why, like travelers from Denmark, Norway and Finland, they can now search for glaciers and geysers without a corona test. The only condition is that you were not in a risk area in the 14 days before entry.

Italy

Travelers from the EU or the Schengen area have been allowed to enter the country without restrictions since June. Unlike visitors from non-EU countries, you do not have to be in quarantine. You can move freely within the country. The number of infections had risen slightly recently, which had triggered new unrest. However, this is limited to local, smaller virus sources. In shops, trains or other closed rooms, a mask is mandatory until at least July 31.

Distance rules must be adhered to on beaches – but this is sometimes not possible. On inland lakes, however, baths sometimes remain very empty during the week. In the bars and restaurants, many innkeepers have almost completely put their tables outside. Sometimes there is also a plexiglass partition to the next table. Prior reservations are welcome, but not a must.

Croatia

Croatia has allowed Germans and citizens of some other EU countries to enter the country without proof of certain reasons since the beginning of June. This has been applicable to citizens of all EU countries since July 10th. At the border, travelers only have to explain where they will be and how they can be reached. This should enable them to be found when there are new corona infections in their environment. A corresponding form can be downloaded from the Internet prior to departure.

Distance rules apply on the beaches, overcrowding should be avoided. Since July 13th, masking has again been mandatory in shops and public transport.

Luxembourg – Corona Virus Travel Warning

The Federal Foreign Office currently warns of "unnecessary, especially tourist trips" to Luxembourg because of the high number of infections. There are no controls and no entry restrictions at the borders with the Grand Duchy. There is a requirement for a mask, among other things, in local public transport. A minimum distance of two meters must also be maintained in shops and public facilities. In some areas, stricter regulations may apply.

Malta

After Malta, citizens from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries in Europe who are classified as "safe" are generally allowed to enter again without restrictions. However, they must not have been outside these "safe" countries in the past 14 days. According to the AA, the Maltese measure body temperature on arrival. If it is 37.2 degrees Celsius or higher, a corona test is carried out.

Netherlands

The Dutch vacation is still possible for Germans. However, Amsterdam has called on tourists to voluntarily refrain from visits on weekends – for fear of a second wave of Corona. Day guests should rather postpone their visit to Monday to Thursday, the city said. Tourists who are already in the city are called on social media to observe the corona rules and to avoid crowds in the city. No alcohol is allowed to be sold throughout the weekend in shops in the red light district. The ban does not apply to pubs and restaurants.

The influx of tourists, particularly from Germany, Belgium and France but also from the Netherlands, has increased so that the safety distance of 1.5 meters in the center cannot be maintained. This is mandatory in public life, including in shops and on beaches. A mask is mandatory on public transport. Tourists should not use the bus, train or metro if possible at peak times.

Norway

The AA's travel warning was also lifted for Norway. German holidaymakers have been allowed to enter the country quarantine-free again since mid-July, since then the number of tourists in the country has skyrocketed. The vacation in Norway was long in the balance for Germans, because the Norwegians left their borders closed in mid-March for a relatively long time. On July 10, the government then gave the green light to several countries with satisfactory corona numbers – including Germany, which is so important for Norwegian tourism. The obligation to quarantine ten days after entering or returning to Norway is thus no longer applicable.

Austria

Travelers from Germany have free travel to and through Austria again. However, controls are carried out at the borders with Hungary or Slovenia. This is the result of Austria's travel warnings for the six Western Balkans as well as for Romania and Bulgaria. In view of the increasing number of new infections, public life in Austria is no longer as carefree as it was recently.

Since Friday, there has been a nationwide mask requirement again, among other things in grocery stores, at the post office or in the bank. Around 1,500 people have been proven to be infected with the corona virus. The focus is on Vienna and Upper Austria. The good news for German vacationers: In the popular federal states of Tyrol and Carinthia, the number of people currently infected is very low at 48 and 14.

Poland

Since June 13, the country has opened its borders to all neighboring EU countries. Incoming EU foreigners and Poles do not have to be quarantined and can move freely within the country. Masks are mandatory in local public transport and – if a distance of two meters cannot be maintained – in public spaces. Hotels, shopping centers, restaurants and cafés are open. The same applies to hairdressing salons, beauty salons, swimming pools and gyms. The train connections between Germany and Poland were resumed at the end of June. Since July 1, the airline Lot has been flying to destinations abroad.

Portugal

There are no entry restrictions for Germans. However, visitors must provide information, among other things, on the destination and accessibility during their stay in the country. The body temperature is also measured. Portugal was long regarded as one of the countries in Europe that had come through the crisis comparatively well and with low contagion and casualty numbers.

For some weeks now, however, there has been a worrying increase in new infections, especially in the greater Lisbon area. In several (less visited by tourists) suburbs of the capital, therefore, there was a lockdown from the end of June to Sunday, July 26. On Friday, the Mayor of Lisbon Fernando Medina said, according to a report by the Portuguese news agency Lusa, that the numbers had improved to such an extent that he expected the lockdown for most affected communities to be lifted next week.

Romania

EU citizens can freely enter Romania. However, these could later have problems with the departure or onward journey, because travelers from Romania in several EU countries have to face obstacles due to the rapidly increasing number of infections. For example, they are automatically placed in quarantine in neighboring Hungary.

The number of infections has exploded in recent weeks, and the authorities expect a further increase. Individual locations can be declared and blocked at short notice as a focus of infection at any time. Plus 1119 new infections within 24 hours were on Friday. This is a good five times as much as the precautionary easing that came into force in mid-May. There is no basic quarantine requirement for travelers. In closed public spaces, there is a duty to wear a mask, distance in restaurants, on the beaches and at outdoor events.

Sweden

The Swedes still have to cope with comparatively high corona values, despite falling deaths and infections. Among other things, this ensures that they cannot travel as freely as many others within Scandinavia and Europe. The Swedish borders, on the other hand, are open to EU citizens – travel by plane, ferry or car across the Øresund Bridge is possible, and there are no restrictions within the country either. In view of the falling number of infections, the AA lifted its travel warning for the Scandinavian country in mid-July.

Switzerland

Entry from the Schengen countries is possible, but if you were previously in one of 42 risk countries, you must first go to quarantine for ten days. Germany is not one of them. Luxembourg has recently been added, while Sweden has been removed from the list. Mexico, the USA, Russia, Israel and Serbia are also considered risk countries.

Those who avoid quarantine can be fined 10,000 francs (around 9,300 euros). Restaurants, bars and clubs are open again, but more and more cantons are introducing new regulations: a restriction to 100 guests, for example, and visitors have to leave contact details. Across Switzerland, a mask is only required in public transport, including cable cars. Similar regulations in shops are being discussed.

Slovakia

Germans can enter without restrictions. There are quarantine regulations only for transit trips from risky states, and non-compliance will be punished. The country was hardly affected by the corona virus and has therefore relaxed most of the initially very strict corona protection measures. Mouth and nose protection must also be worn in public transport and inside shops, in restaurants only when entering and leaving. A queue of 2 meters is recommended in queues, for example at cash registers. At cultural events, the organizers ensure that there is sufficient distance between the spectators.

Slovenia

The EU country between the Alps and the Adriatic allows travelers from Germany and several other European countries to enter without restrictions. If you want to go on holiday there, you don't even have to show a booking confirmation. In addition, citizens from these and other countries can travel through the small country in transit. Slovenia serves as a transit country for holidaymakers from Germany who travel to Croatia in their own car. It has a 46-kilometer section on the Adriatic itself with a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Distance rules apply; a mask must be worn in closed public spaces and public transport.

Spain

Holidaymakers from the EU and the Schengen countries have been allowed to enter the country indefinitely since June 21. Visitors to Spain must bear in mind, however, that due to the increasing number of infections throughout the country, strict corona rules such as the obligation to wear a mask apply almost everywhere outdoors as well as the distance requirement, also in Mallorca and the rest of the Balearic Islands. Exceptions to the requirement to wear a mask continue to exist on the beach, at the pool, while eating and drinking and during sports. In Barcelona, ​​however, people are called on to leave the house only for urgent tasks such as shopping or doctor visits.

The number of bookings from abroad as well as domestic holidaymakers has therefore fallen sharply. In the region around the Catalan city of Lleida you are not allowed to travel at the moment. Nightlife with clubs and bars has also been restricted in many places. Discos are closed in Barcelona and bars and restaurants are only allowed to occupy half of the seats. However, the pandemic is still considered to be under control. Important for visitors to Spain: You have to fill out an online form and then receive a QR code, which must be shown on arrival by plane. Temperature is also measured upon entry. However, travelers also report that they were not checked at all.

Czech Republic

Germans have been able to return to the country since the beginning of June. Quarantine or a negative corona test are not required. A mask requirement applies among other things in the Prague subway and in the eastern administrative region of Moravian-Silesia. Recently there had been more infections. The capital city of Prague tries to attract tourists with cultural vouchers – but hotels and restaurants in the historic city center are unusually empty for the time of year. So far there have been more than 360 deaths related to corona infection in the Czech Republic.

Turkey – Corona Virus Travel Warning

For Turkey as a non-EU country, the AA travel warning applies until August 31. The country hopes, however, that this will be lifted soon and thus much sooner. The third most popular holiday destination for Germans is classified as a corona risk area, so it is unlikely that the travel warning will be lifted. People entering Germany from a risk area have to expect a 14-day quarantine. However, holidaymakers from Turkey can be exempted from this if they have a negative corona test that is not older than 48 hours when entering Germany.

After entering Germany from Turkey there is no longer a quarantine requirement. However, the temperature is measured at the airport. If symptoms occur, a corona test can be carried out – the Turkish Ministry of Health then decides how to proceed. There is a safety margin on the beaches, there are only pre-packed towels at the pool, and thermal cameras are used in airports and hotels. The government has developed a certification program for restaurateurs and hotels. German companies also provide inspectors.

Hungary

German vacationers can enter Germany without restrictions if they start their journey in a country that is classified as safe with regard to the pandemic. Germany and most EU countries are considered safe. Transit through Hungary is possible in any case, but these travelers must not deviate from certain transit corridors and must leave the country in a maximum of 24 hours. Most of the hotels, restaurants and bars in Hungary have reopened. A mask requirement applies in public transport, taxis and shops. Distance rules must also be observed.

Cyprus

The island has reported few corona infections from travelers or locals since tourism opened. Anyone traveling to Cyprus must register electronically before starting. If a person is tested positive, they have to spend 14 days in specially designed isolation accommodations in hotels. Cyprus will cover the costs. A mask requirement applies to all public transport and hospitals. The holiday island has a very low infection rate compared to other European countries.