The UK is starting to emerge from the restrictions imposed by coronavirus, and the same can be said of our European neighbours. Many of them have done so more rapidly than we are, and some are already ‘open for business’.
Please note that while some borders are open to UK tourism, the Foreign Office still advises against all non-essential international travel.
While not considered a tourist hotspot, Albania has done a good job of quelling the virus. Hotels, shops and restaurants are beginning to re-open, and the land borders are completely open for international travellers.
Austria
Austria will be opening its borders gradually, to countries with a comparable decline in the virus. The borders with Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland in mid-June. Restaurants, bars and hotels are all permitted to open again.
Belgium is currently aiming to open up to international tourists on June 15th. Museums and shops are already opened, while eateries and certain tourist attractions will gradually re-open from June 8th. As of now, all arrivals have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Another country that is all-but-open is Croatia. The borders are already allowing tourists from Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The country’s attractions and infrastructure is largely operational, and the majority of airlines are set to begin international flights in July.
Within Cyprus, hotels and eateries are still fairly restricted, though borders are opening to tourists from 19 countries for June 9th. A date has not yet been set for the return of UK holidaymakers.
Meanwhile in Czechia, otherwise known as the Czech Republic, the borders with Germany and Austria will open in mid-June. A majority of attractions and lodging options are open, but a date for the return of non-essential UK travel has not been set.
Denmark is opening its borders to Norwegian, German and Icelandic travellers on June 15th. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are welcoming tourists exclusively within their Baltic travel bubble. Finland is in the process of re-opening establishments, but a date is yet to be confirmed for border re-opening.
France
France is aiming to re-open to Swiss and German tourists on June 15th, while UK tourism is expected to be on hold for much longer. Restaurants and bars are steadily being re-opened, but residents are currently restricted to travelling within 100km (62 miles) of home.
Germany
Germany’s borders are currently only open to Luxembourg, though that will extend to Switzerland, Austria and France on June 15th. The nation’s 16 states are opening at different speeds. Greece will be opening up to a large number of countries on the same day, but the United Kingdom is not included on that list.
Hungary’s border with Romania is now open to tourists, while Austria’s border will open on the 15th. Meanwhile, Iceland is beginning to start easing restrictions, though it seems visitors will be expected to download the country’s tracing app.
Ireland currently has a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for visitors, and is re-introducing businesses slower than much of Europe. Restaurants and some pubs are to re-open on June 29th, while hotels and museums are scheduled for re-opening on July 20th.
Italy
Italy’s borders were re-opened on June 3rd in an attempt to revitalise its economy, with a majority of businesses already operating. Some hotels are re-opening in June too, while Sicily has stated that it will offer travel subsidies for tourists once they can safely return.
Luxembourg is currently open to German nationals, with no word on the potential for UK nationals to visit. Malta is yet to announce plans for the return of tourism for citizens of any other country.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is open to tourists from Schengen nations, and the borders are open to all for essential travel. Non-essential travel could be welcomed again as soon as June 15th. Hotels and campsites are already open, while those businesses communal areas will re-open at the start of July.
In Norway, borders will open to Danish tourists on June 15th. A further announcement for non-essential travel for the rest of Europe is expected in mid-July. Poland is expected to open to international tourism on June 13th, having been lifting restrictions since early-May.
Portugal
As one of the countries least hit by COVID-19, Portugal is in a more advanced stage of emerging from its restrictions. Regional tourist boards and airlines have gone as far as announcing Portugal as ‘open’ to UK tourists on 1st July, while the nation’s minister of foreign affairs has said an ‘air bridge’ between Portugal and the UK.
Romania is currently only open to Hungarian tourists, and no date has been set for the return of non-essential travel from the UK. Meanwhile, Slovakia is yet to announce the return of non-essential travel into the country from any other nation. Slovenia’s borders are open to any international traveller with a reservation in tourist accommodation.
Spain
While Portugal is re-opening to tourists, the scope for a road trip to Lisbon in your own car is still somewhat limited. While the nation also expects to open up to tourists in July, this process will be gradual, and Spain’s tourism minister Maria Reyes Maroto said that the UK’s coronavirus figures “still have to improve” before British tourists return.
Meanwhile, Sweden never went into a full lockdown, and its borders are open to UK tourists. Switzerland is due to open to Germany, France and Austria from June 15th, while it is expected that people from other countries – potentially including the UK – will be permitted in mid-July. The government in Turkey aims to re-introduce international travel for mid-June.
