Travel to Greece for a 'Covid Free' summer

14 May will be a big day for Greece. It has been named 'G day', the day the borders will reopen to international tourists, whose contribution to the country is worth 20 % of GDP. In order to achieve this, Greece is carrying out an intensive and extensive vaccination campaign, aiming to make especially the islands entirely 'Covid free'. The Eleftheria plan, 'freedom' in Greek, has involved a major effort by the Greek government, which has declared the safety of visitors to be of paramount importance for the coming summer. The reopening on 14 May will see bars and restaurants open until 10.45pm, with outdoor seating and maximum six people at the same table.

The opening of the tourist season also includes less restrictive rules for the entry of visitors from the European Union and the United Kingdom, with no need for isolation on arrival but with other reasonable rules.

So here is what you need to know to organise your holiday in Greece this summer. First of all, you need to fill in a passenger location form by 11.59 pm of the day prior to arrival in Greece. Before boarding the plane, you will need a document certifying your health condition, such as a negative molecular test carried out within the last 72 hours, which is also mandatory for children up to 5 years old. Alternatively, you will need to present a certificate of vaccination completed within 14 days prior to departure, with no need for a negative molecular test if the vaccine received is among those approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The vaccination certificate must contain critical information in English and match the one in the passenger's travel document. Once in Greece, tourists may be subjected to a random health check. In case of a positive result, the traveller will be placed in a quarantine hotel together with his companions for 10 days, all at the expense of the Greek state.

Don't miss the chance to spend a safe holiday in Heraklion (Crete), Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes and Kefalonia with direct Lumiwings flights from Forlì and Trapani airports.