Greece Is Now Open - Here's What You Need To Know
Greece has reopened to travelers from dozens of countries, including the United States, just in time for summer.
As of May 14, quarantine-free entry is permitted to visitors from the following places: EU and Schengen Area countries, United States, U.K., Israel, Serbia, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, Russia, North Macedonia, Canada, Belarus, Bahrain, Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.
To be expected, there are certain requirements for travel as eligible visitors over the age of five are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours before arrival or a certificate proving that they've been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus (14 days after the final dose). Acceptable vaccines include Pfizer BioNtech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Oxford, Novavax, Johnson + Johnson/Janssen, Sinovac Biotech, Gamaleya (Sputnik), Cansino Biologics and Sinopharm.
Travelers can also enter Greece if they can prove that they've recovered from COVID-19 in the past nine months. Regardless of status, travelers must also complete the online Passenger Locator Form (PLF) no later than 11:59 p.m. of the day before arrival and may be subject to random health screening upon arrival.
Beaches, dining venues, shops and attractions such as zoos, museums and cultural sites throughout the country have reopened with capacity limits, curfews and other restrictions in some cases. What's more, airlines will ramp up service to Greece this summer, with cruise lines setting sail from the country as well. Delta Air Lines is scheduled to resume direct daily service between New York City via John F. Kennedy International Airport and Athens on May 28 while American Airlines, United Airlines and Emirates will launch service from NYC in early June. Summer travelers will also have options from Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean International , Celebrity Cruises and AIDA Cruises are among the cruise lines sailing to and from Greece this summer. The latter will offer a series of seven-day voyages from Greece beginning on May 23.
As of April 20, Greece is listed at a Level 4 ( do not travel ) on the U.S. State Department's travel advisory scale, reflecting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Level 4 Travel Health Notice for the country due to COVID-19. The CDC warns of a very high level of COVID-19 in Greece. As of May 17, the country has reported more than 377,000 coronavirus cases, including 11,415 deaths. Currently, approximately 14 percent of Greece's population has been fully vaccinated, based on data from the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford.
Visit travel.gov.gr for the latest entry protocols and what to expect upon arrival.
Xiangdong Lai
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