After the wave of infections slowly subsided in Europe, many countries want to open up to holidaymakers again. While there are already exact dates for some destinations, the timing of others is still very uncertain. A check of 22 popular holiday countries inside and outside Europe shows which borders will open soon – and which requirements exist.
Finally feel warm sand under your feet and bathe in the sea: Freedom of travel within the European Union should soon be possible again, according to the wishes of most member states. The federal government is currently preparing to end the worldwide travel warning for tourists, which will continue until June 14th – if the pandemic allows.
Then the warning is to be replaced by individual travel advice for 31 states, which show risks for each individual country. In addition to Germany's 26 partner countries in the European Union, these include Great Britain, which has left the EU and the four countries of the Schengen area that are not subject to border control, which are not members of the EU: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Whether the summer vacation takes place, however, should also depend on the regulations of the countries themselves. Here is an overview of the most popular holiday destinations in Germany:
Reading tip: You can read all new developments on the outbreak of the corona virus in the FOCUS Online news ticker.
Austria: From June 15th vacation with the neighbors possible
The country will again allow travel to almost all EU countries from June 16. This step does not apply to Sweden and Portugal as well as the United Kingdom leaving the EU. Spain is also not allowed to travel initially. However, this is more in response to the Spanish requirement that tourists only be admitted to the country from July 1.
For German tourists, it is particularly important that controls on the border to Italy, for example on the Brenner Pass, be omitted. In Austria itself, public life has continued to normalize. From June 15, wearing mouth and nose protection is only compulsory in buses and trains, in pharmacies, medical practices and clinics, as well as for employees in some service professions. The current number of infections is very low.
Italy: Entry for EU citizens allowed since June 3rd – no quarantine requirement
Here tourism is slowly starting up again. Hotels report bookings again – even if everything is far from being open. After around three months with corona restrictions, there has been freedom of travel since June 3. The country opened its borders to vacationers from the other 26 EU countries as well as other countries such as Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland. Virus quarantine is no longer required.
On June 15th cinemas, theaters and opera houses will also be allowed to open again. However, many concerts are canceled in the long term. Health rules continue to apply, which are usually stricter than in Germany. At airports, train stations, museums and other public places, travelers can expect fever scanners. Special distance and hygiene regulations apply on the beach, in restaurants and hotels. You should always have enough breathing masks with you.
The number of cases falls sharply in Italy. Lombardy continues to have the vast majority of cases. Travelers who want to drive via Austria to the Mediterranean country and back must currently drive through without a stop on the way back.
Also read: Dolce Vita despite corona crisis? What rules apply to a vacation in Italy
Switzerland: From June 15th vacation with the Confederates again
Hotels, restaurants, museums, cable cars and other tourist facilities have been testing the operation with local guests with hygiene and distance regulations for several weeks. Because the number of infections has declined sharply since April, not only guests from Germany and other neighboring countries are allowed to enter from June 15th, but from all over the EU and several other countries. Mouth and nose protection is recommended where it can get crowded, e.g. in cable cars, buses or on the train, but masks are not mandatory.
Many large summer festivals such as the Montreux jazz festival, the film festival in Locarno or the large festival of classical music in Lucerne are canceled. However, because the restriction of visitor numbers is becoming increasingly relaxed, many organizers are now planning smaller cultural festivals.
France: No border controls from June 16 – holidaymakers are not yet allowed to enter
France continues to abolish border controls on June 15. This means that German vacationers can travel to France from this date. On June 16, Germany ended its controls on entry from France. In France, tourist accommodations such as campsites or holiday homes have reopened for vacationers. In Paris it will last until the end of June.
The restaurants across the country have been welcoming guests again since last week. Because Paris was hit very hard by the virus, it is only allowed to drink and eat there on the terraces. Leisure activities are now possible again, all beaches and parks are accessible again. Large museums and monuments can also welcome visitors again. Famous Parisian museums such as the Louvre or the Musee d'Orsay will only open in a few weeks. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, which has been closed since mid-March, is slated to reopen on June 25th.
Spain: Holidays without quarantine from July 1st, test run from June 15th
There was a long period of uncertainty among friends of Spain. Recently, you can at least plan your summer vacation on the Costa del Sol or on the Costa Blanca. But before you can get on the plane, you have to be patient: the former Corona hotspot only wants to open its borders to foreign visitors on July 1st.
"Safety first" continues to apply to the authorities. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that it would guarantee that neither the tourists nor the citizens of the country would take risks. The countdown for Mallorca fans has meanwhile become shorter than expected: With up to 10,900 holidaymakers from Germany, who will be allowed to gradually go to the Balearic Islands from June 15, Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera are testing the real thing for a summer vacation in Corona Times.
Also read: Summer won't slow down virus – researchers find explanation for pandemic course
Portugal: German holidaymakers welcome at the end of June
If you have a vacation in the second half of June or are planning a weekend trip and absolutely want to go to the Iberian Peninsula, you can travel to Portugal. The country wants to open its borders to foreign tourism on June 15th. Thanks to an early response and strict measures, the country on the Atlantic was much less affected by Covid-19 than Spain, for example.
Read:Scientific studies: Border closures are only effective at the beginning of a pandemic
Great Britain: Entry with a quarantine requirement
Anyone entering the UK must go to quarantine for two weeks after arrival. Violations are punished with a large fine. Airlines and travel agencies fear even more losses due to the regulation. Travelers from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are exempt from quarantine.
With the new regulation, the British government wants to prevent a second wave of pandemics. However, it is examining a loosening. The 14-day self-isolation could therefore in future not apply to connections with countries that have the Corona crisis well under control. According to British media, such "airlifts" could already be introduced in July.
Greece: Entry from June without a quarantine requirement
Athens has announced that travelers from 29 countries can travel to Greece without quarantine from June 15, including Germany. The situation is to be examined again on July 1; then further states could be added. Initially, there should only be flights from abroad to Athens. From July 1st, the regional airports will also be opened for flights from abroad.
A corona check will be carried out randomly at the Greek airports after landing from abroad, Athens said. The islands of the Aegean and Ionian Sea have been prepared for the holiday start for foreign tourists next Monday. A total of 687 doctors and nurses were hired on the islands.
Netherlands: Borders were always open, but only opened for tourism in June
No border controls were carried out between Germany and the Netherlands during the Corona high phase. Nevertheless, tourist businesses in many regions were closed and holidaymakers were also not wanted.
The Holland vacation is now possible again – but not without restrictions. Vacation accommodations should be reserved in advance, according to official notices for foreign tourists. Bungalow parks gradually open and holiday homes are rented out again. Since June 1, they can be shared by several families.
From June 15, showers and toilets will be available again at campsites and in holiday parks; so far this was only planned for July 1st. The museums have been welcoming visitors again since June 1st – provided they register online beforehand. Restaurants, cafés, beach pavilions and pubs can each serve a maximum of 30 guests – but only those who have reserved. From July up to 100 guests are allowed.
In the country there is also a minimum distance of 1.50 meters as well as a mask requirement on public transport. Sports with direct physical contact such as football should only be allowed from September 1st. Golf, swimming or tennis have been allowed again since the beginning of June, as have visits to museums.
Belgium: Opens borders for travelers from June 15th
Like several European countries, Belgium returns to normal travel a bit in the middle of the month. From June 15, the country will open its borders to travelers from 31 European countries. For a long time now, Belgians have been able to receive visits from relatives from abroad.
They are also allowed to go to relatives or to shop in neighboring countries such as Germany or the Netherlands. In the meantime, restaurants, cafés and bars have started operating again. The North Sea beaches in the north of the country as well as the Belgian capital Brussels and Wallonia with the Ardennes are popular with holidaymakers.
Denmark: Entry possible for Germans from June 15th
Denmark was one of the first countries in Europe to close its borders in the struggle against Corona on March 14th. Since then, tourists and other foreigners without a specific reason for entry have not been able to enter the country. This upset the travel plans of German spring vacationers as well as the finances of Danish holiday home owners, most of whose guests come from Germany.
Denmark will open its borders again at least for tourists from Germany, Iceland and Norway on June 15th. The condition is that you have booked at least six nights. Anyone who owns a summer house in Denmark as a German or wants to visit his partner in the country has been allowed to return since the end of May. As of Monday, residents of Schleswig-Holstein are allowed to travel across the border to Denmark without a valid reason for entry.
Sweden: Entry permitted but controls possible
The borders of the Scandinavian country, which has responded to the pandemic with much more relaxed measures than the rest of Europe and is still struggling with comparatively high corona numbers, are not closed to German Sweden holidaymakers – the Swedish entry ban only applies to countries outside the EU and the European Free Trade Association.
In the meantime, some planes are flying from Germany to Stockholm again, the ferry connections from Kiel, Rostock or Travemünde are mostly used anyway. And within Sweden it has been allowed to drive from A to B for an unlimited number of days. If you want to travel north by car or train via Denmark, you should also keep an eye on the Danish regulations: On the website of the Danish police, it currently says that a trip to Sweden, for example for people with a permanent residence in Germany, as " appreciable purpose "applies to a permit for transit in Denmark.
The Federal Foreign Office in Germany has meanwhile indicated that Sweden does not currently meet the "pandemic criteria" for lifting the warning. If this remains the case, the travel warning for the EU country will not be lifted.
Differences explained: This means travel advice, safety information and travel warning
Norway: To be checked by July 20
Whether the summer vacation in the Norwegian fjords will work is currently unclear. The Norwegian borders have been tight for foreigners without a specific entry reason since mid-March. As of Monday, the Norwegians will again allow travel to and from the rest of Scandinavia with the exception of the Swedish mainland, as Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced on Friday.
With regard to countries with similarly positive corona developments as Germany, however, she said: "We cannot open everything at once. We have to proceed step by step." The aim is to check by July 20 whether travel advice and restrictions could be changed for individual other European countries. The status for German vacationers remains: wait and see.
Iceland: Entry from June 15th – Corona test on arrival
The island in the North Atlantic, which is heavily dependent on tourism, gives holidaymakers the opportunity from June 15 to be tested directly on arrival in Corona. The Icelandic government wants to give international tourists an alternative to the 14-day quarantine that has been mandatory since April. Icelandic travelers can also show that they are corona free by presenting health documents at the airport. Children are exempt from the tests.
Turkey: Entry maybe already from mid-June – some guidelines
Turkey is hoping for tourists again from mid-June and that the travel warning for third countries will soon be lifted. Airports and hotels are already preparing for foreign tourists. The facilities must adhere to numerous guidelines, such as a safety distance on beaches, there are only packaged towels at the pool and thermal imaging cameras are used in airports and hotels. The government has developed a certification program in which restaurateurs and hotels can volunteer. German companies such as TÜV Süd also provide inspectors.
Cyprus: Island vacation for Germans possible – Corona test until June 20th
Cyprus has opened its airports to tourists from some countries. Vacationers from Germany and twelve other countries can fly to the island without a quarantine requirement. There is only one condition for entry: by June 20, guests must undergo a corona test before entering. Thereafter, tourists and other travelers from Germany, Austria, Malta, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark and Hungary are free to enter. If travelers suffer from the consequences of a coronavirus infection during their stay in Cyprus, the government of the island republic wants to pay the costs.
Croatia: Entry possible without quarantine and corona test – but not for everyone
The country heavily dependent on tourism on the Adriatic Sea with its long coast and the many islands can hardly wait for the European borders to finally open up. Croatia once again allows citizens to enter the country without justification. The easing also affects the citizens of nine other EU countries: Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In future, travelers from these countries will only have to explain where they will be at the border and how they can be reached. This should enable them to be found when there are new corona infections in their environment. To avoid long waiting times, holidaymakers can fill out a form on the website "entercroatia.mup.hr" before entering the country.
Slovenia: Open to some EU citizens since June 8th
The EU country between the Alps and the Adriatic has allowed travelers from Germany and 16 other European countries to enter the country without restrictions since 8 June. 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 Germans who travel to Croatia in their own car. It itself has a 46-kilometer section on the Adriatic Sea with a well-developed tourist infrastructure. All hotels have been open again since June 1st. A minimum distance of one and a half meters must be maintained in public spaces and during leisure activities.
Czech Republic: Already open for Germans – from June 15th for almost all EU countries
The country of castles and palaces has already opened its borders to citizens from Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. From June 15th, this applies to citizens of almost all EU countries, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The entry ban remains for travelers residing in Belgium, Portugal, Great Britain, Sweden and the Polish Silesian Voivodeship. These territories are considered to be risk areas for coronavirus infection. Prague's old town, which has been deserted for months, is gradually filling up with life again. Multi-day hotel guests reward the capital with free cultural vouchers.
Bulgaria: Vacation possible from July 1st
The holiday country on the Black Sea is gearing up for a summer season under corona requirements. For foreign tourists from Germany, for example, it should begin on July 1st. Bulgaria is one of the countries that are relatively unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic. On the long bathing beaches, the deck chairs are already spaced apart. Dispensers with disinfectants and isolation rooms for coronavirus cases should be standard.
The smaller hotels are already accepting domestic tourists. But Bulgaria's tourism depends heavily on international flights. Holidaymakers from Germany, Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Israel and Great Britain canceled their trip according to media reports. A large number of the hotels on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast have, according to the industry, hardly any bookings for this summer.
In addition, due to the corona pandemic from the badly hit Great Britain, there should be no holiday guests at all. In the Balkans, restaurants, cafés, museums, cinemas, fitness centers and shopping malls are open again.
Poland: borders opened on June 13th
On Saturday (June 13th) the country reopened its borders with all neighboring EU countries. Immigrants from EU countries and Poland no longer have to quarantine for 14 days. Flights to EU countries are scheduled to resume from June 16. Hotels, shopping centers, restaurants and cafés are now open again. The same applies to hairdressing salons and beauty salons. Swimming pools and gyms can also start operating again.
Egypt: No foreigners have been allowed into the country yet
Not Europe, but a popular travel destination for Europeans. At holiday resorts such as Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh, normality is to gradually return – that is the hope. Hotels have been allowed to reopen to local holidaymakers since June 1 at 50 percent occupancy. So far, around 150 hotels have received the appropriate approval. The borders are still tight for holidaymakers from abroad.
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Returning from vacation to Germany: When to face quarantine
However, you should not only know about the regulations in the desired holiday country, but also about the return travel formalities if you want to return to Germany from this country. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) writes:
For entries after a stay of several days in an EU member state, a Schengen-associated state or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the federal and state governments issue a quarantine recommendation if the respective state according to the statistical evaluations and publications of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has a high number of new infections in relation to the population (more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants cumulatively in the last seven days).
You can see whether your holiday country is one of these countries on the daily updated live map of the RKI.
When entering from so-called third countries, a two-week quarantine obligation applies in principle when entering Germany again. If the entry is from a country in which the infection numbers are very low, other regulations may apply.