Greece plans to gradually lift travel restrictions on arrivals from abroad and open 9 airports for flights from the European Union and another 5 non-EU countries on Friday, April 16, some media report on Tuesday. Note that the media do not quote any government official nor any statement.
The goal remains that the opening of tourism is on May 14, 2021.
In the first phase, the opening will reportedly be for flights from EU countries as well as from a limited number of 5 more countries such as the USA, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Israel.
Note that for vaccinated Israeli travelers Greece opened its gate on March 25 and they do not need to stay in a 7-day quarantine.
The first airports to allow international flights are the ones in Athens, Thessaloniki and other popular destinations, protothema reports, while it notes that all other international airports in the country will open on May 14.
UPDATE: An official confirmed to reuters on Wednesday the lifting of quarantine for more travelers, adding that the airports to open earlier than May 14 are; Athens, Thessaloniki, Iraklio, Hania, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu, as well as two border crossings.
As the Greeks do, also travelers will have to comply with all lockdown restrictions currently in force in the country.
According to news website newsbomb, the 7-day quarantine for international arrivals will be lifted on April 16. However, entry to Greece will be allwoed only under the following conditions:
- Vaccination certificate or
- Negative Covid-19 PCR test up to 72 hours before traveling
Mandatory remains the fill up of the Passenger Location Form (PLF) 24 hours before getting on board.
Both websites but also Skai TV reported about the “unofficial tourism opening on April 16”, however, without mentioning any statements by officials or government source or even the Tourism Ministry.
IT should be recalled that Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis had hinted the “unofficial” opening of tourism mid-April with an interview with state-run news agency amna end of March.
Worth nothing that two days ago, the Greek Civil Aviation Authority extended domestic flight restrictions for “only essential travel” until April 19.
The CAA notam regarding international flight restrictions is valid until April 19, 2021, too. The CAA can modify its air directives any time.
We’ll keep you updated once it is official.
I have just had July flights from Heraklion cancelled ! So confused with all the confliction information
Why can’t I with antibodies travel to greece without restrictions? I’m more safe then the one who had vaccine…
More safe for yourself, maybe – but you can still bring it with you & spread it around
Because the travel rules are not yet established. This is a pilot project. All countries included have higher vaccination coverage at this point.
As for your case your case: provided that you are UK citizen you can make a PCR test.
Personally, although vaccinated I would not travel to Greece until:
– numbers drop in Greece
– Greece has better vaccination coverage
– Greece lifts the restriction on inter-region travel for Greek citizens (to be able to travel while locals can not is ethically wrong)
Regarding your last point, the interregional travel: are foreigners allowed to travel from one region to the other? I thought this ban is for everyone, not just Greek citizens?
Would you agree with me that traveling from UK to Greece is an order of magnitude larger than inter-regional?
The assumptions is that once they reach their destination region they do not leave the region other for purpose of departing the country.
I gather not all the regions have the airport.