As European countries begin to lift restrictions imposed to curb COVID-19, many across the continent are beginning to wonder if we will be able to travel during the holidays this summer.
But where can you travel freely, and which countries have restrictions?
Pushed by the European Commission, which wanted to reopen borders as quickly as possible, the Schengen countries have mostly opened the doors, although with different conditions. Some maintain restrictions for travelers from higher risk countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Poland.
Outside the European environment, initially the Union will only open its doors to a small group of 15 countries. The United States does not apply since it has a high rate of infections, but also Brazil, Qatar and Russia remain outside the list.
The U.S. for example, recommended opening borders to countries outside the bloc such as Serbia, which are now experiencing a sharp spike in infections, and neighboring countries like Greece are acting unilaterally.
The European Commission has confirmed that it is trying to draw up a list with the situation of the external borders in each country but that it is complicated by the lack of unity of criteria.
It is a complicated puzzle with many nuances, so it is almost impossible to predict the situation of each country in the medium or long term. It should be borne in mind that some countries with a low rate of contagion have experienced upswings.
Therefore, for imminent trips we recommend contacting the authorities of the destination country to verify the exact conditions.
If any of the trips are acquired through Summitour, we will be systematically monitoring the situation of each destination with which we operate, and we will keep our clients updated.
