Greece Lifts Lockdown Measures, Opens To Visitors

Funny the lack of partying makes Mykonos suddenly appealing to me 🙂

I was there this week it's actually great because there's no tourist. Restaurants are open, not much is really enforced. How many times can you say you toured the Acropolis alone ?

Yes, just booked a trip to Santorini/ Crete in July. Hoping some of the crowds and cruises stay away??

I might just have to go next week now..

We have been considering Greece as an alternate destination if France does not open up to U.S. citizens, or requires a lengthy quarantine.

I would be quite interested in learning a little more about the documents required to travel. Is the thought that U.S.-based travelers would just show up at the airport with a valid passport and the CDC vaccination card?

Got my trip book for last week of June. Maybe I'll go to Mykonos now. I'm not into the partying scene.

I have tickets to go in early June, with back up reservations in Hawaii & Iceland (just wanted to keep all options open). Looks more & more likely that I will go to Greece! Personally, the current restrictions are fine. It looks like the earliest cruise will set sail in a couple weeks, with more coming back in June and July. I am hoping by going in early June, things will be mostly open, with decent weather, and without the usual crowds!

For proof of vaccination, will they take the paper CDC card? Searching shows they will take a paper NHS card.

Hi Lucky,
We are traveling next week to Greece. We arrive in Athens but have 2 separate domestic legs (Athens - Santorini, Naxos - Athens). Are there still any restrictions on domestic flights (such as previous restrictions on domestic flights for only business and family reunification) ?
Much appreciate any response.

The official requirements are at https://travel.gov.gr/#/ but it doesn't really clarify what proof of vaccination will be accepted from US persons. It allows a vaccination certificate issued by a certified authority. Does the CDC card satisfies this? I suppose we will have to wait for Greece to clarify.

Hi Lucky,

Do you think we can via CDG Munich or Frankfurt fly to Greece?

Is complicated now for the Schengen policy.

What is being accepted as Proof of Vaccine? Does the US CDC card work? Or do we need an App?

Also Lucky I read that Germany also dropped their testing requirement for people who are Vaxed now is this true?

@burritomiles: yes Germany did. I posted the url into my comment yesterday to Lucky’s CDC post. US airlines already updates their website to that effect

....updated

So I'm reading that Italy will allow no quarintine for DL flights from The US per the pointaguys. Is this accurate?

We actually leave for Greece tomorrow. It was a trip we booked last June and thought we'd have to cancel until Greece made their big announcement in March. My understanding is the CDC card is acceptable for entry (and for transit through Germany), and you can fly domestically if you have proof of vaccination. I can update after we arrive!

What does it mean to "stay seated"? I assume this is the no dancing on tables part? I assume it doesn't mean no bathroom breaks. I'm just confused by that rule.

@Daniel B DOPE thx u!!! I'm going to Albania next week via FRA on LH so I'm super stoked I don't have to get tested before flying.

I have my CDC card and since I got vaxxed at Kaiser here in CA I have that data in my medical records so I can show that also.

Let's see if I can get into Greece from Albania I don't think the ferries are running to Corfu but I can maybe cross via land boarder with Albania.

@Michael I would assume "stay seated" is language to prevent a bar/club passing as a restaurant. In the US there were a lot of bars that claimed to be restaurants so they could open up at earlier phases.

@Burritomiles: We are flying home (Central Europe) in a week's time, so like you, I am very very happy that we do not have to have the "within 48hr" COVID-19 test on the way there. Hopefully soon the US-mandated test will also be abolished, so we can also relax before heading back to the US.
I am very closely following my home countries regulations, and it seems that in Central Europe (V4, C5 countries) are accepting each others' vaccine certificates, and one already declared that it will issue a country-specific vaccine certificate for its own citizens who received their vaccine elsewhere. So let's say a dual citizen got his vaccine in the US and has that particular EU passport, he/she would be issued the EU specific vaccine passport as well, which would open up a lot more EU countries for the traveller. So if you have dual citizenship, it is worthwhile to check with that country.

I just may since the lack of the college yuppies would be a blessing. I have generally been traveling around the world for work and leisure without significant issue since Jan since I was fully vaccinated on Jan 5th.

We have tickets for July that we purchased when fares are low. Hoping to bookend the trip in Athens and spend a couple days on a couple of islands. The lack of partying makes Mykonos definitely seem more appealing now.

To those asking about entry on CDC card.... It was a little bit of a process because I went through FRA which involved me having to clear customs there. The german authorities were very confused and had to call a supervisor to come over to clear me through. It wasn't an issue- they verified I could enter Greece with the CDC card and stamped me through.

Mind you this was right when all the changes happened (even the check in staff had to double check). By now, I suspect others won't have these issues.

Loud music cause Covid to transmit more so good on the Greek for this. Stay home you super spreaders and wear a mask.

what good is myk without dancing on tables at nammos???
ill wait till things are back to normal

Any idea when the US will be lifting the entry ban on (perhaps vaccinated) non-US citizens? It seems unilateral … and still arbitrary which countries are subject to the ban (e.g. Finland with virtually no cases banned, Turkey with high numbers open).

Are night and day clubs open ? Can u please clarify what exactly means “ lack of music “, so no DJ at pool parties ?

@ AL -- My interpretation is that night and day clubs are closed, so there would be no DJs at pool parties.

Ben! First time posting on your blog but I’ve been following for maybe 2 years now. I have a question..I’m thinking of Santorini next month and I’m flying from the west coast so I was going to do LAX-FRA-ATH partly because it’s open lol..my Lady friend would fly YYZ and we would meet in FRA..and carry on to the the fun lol..possible? We are a excited to meet up..I’ve been overseas numerous times before cov but it’s her first. She has an Italian PP and Canadian PP I have a U.S. PP. First time to Greece and was looking up ferries/fast boats to Santorini. All the tips from anyone are much appreciated.

Lucky,
Can one use Greece as a bouncing off point to go to other Schengen countries? Are flights from Greece still treated like domestic flights, or do people coming from Greece have to go through an international arrivals area?

@Dan

No. The airlines are the gate keepers. Once they see that US passport…

@John G

Nonsense. Normally it is where you have been in the last 10/14 days. So Dan, check the country but you should be fine.

Cyprus is also open with same conditions as Greece.

Update on entry to Greece via Frankfurt on May 16. There was definitely confusion in the Frankfurt airport about whether a CDC vaccination card was permissible for transit instead of a PCR test. I had saved the announcement I had gotten from Lufthansa via email as well as my correspondence with the airport police via email, so it eventually got sorted out. When we arrived in Athens, they asked to see the PLF code (but just glanced at it and didn't actually scan it). No issues with the CDC card there.

@ Krivokrasov -- Thanks for the data point, that's very helpful!

The 'no music' thing will end soon for Mykonos, according to locals who said it's not a permanent thing for Summer...

Just tried to understand the PLF: it says_ In case of multiple stays, they are required to provide the address for the first 24 hours at least._