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What It’s Like Traveling In Europe Right Now

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Europe is a popular destination for American tourists. It’s home to some of the most famous landmarks in the world like the Eiffel Tower, The Roman Coliseum, The Brandenburg Gate, and more. As popular as Europe is for tourism, it has been very hard for Americans to enter the continent for the last couple of years due to strict COVID restrictions. Finally, it seems like Europe is opening up to full capacity with a few caveats. Some countries are a bit more relaxed than others and it’s not always clear what rules you have to follow where. 

EU Flags

Let’s run through a few European countries that have vastly different COVID and travel restrictions, even though they might be neighbors…

Austria

Make sure you have your KN95/FFP2 mask ready when you visit Austria because they strictly observe their masking rules. Masks are still required everywhere in Austria and it’s very rare to see this rule not followed. Proof of vaccination is required to eat anywhere (even outside). The good news is, the CDC white card is accepted but expect a few strange looks from waiters while they decipher the handwritten proof. Entry into Austria is a breeze if you’re vaccinated, if you are not…there are stringent testing rules that apply. You can find out more here.

Restaurants, bars, and cafes are open throughout the country with limited restrictions in place as far as capacity. Austria still feels like it is very much in the midst of a pandemic. 

Vienna from Above

Slovenia

Slovenia was one of the first countries in Europe to drop all of its entry requirements. At the time this was unheard of for the continent. This makes entering Slovenia feel like it was before the pandemic. Masking is still technically required on transit but not 100% observed. Overall, traveling through Slovenia feels much like it did before the pandemic. 

River in Slovenia

Germany

If you take the above two examples and combined them…you get Germany. As of this past Friday, masks are no longer required anywhere but the public continues to wear them. In fact, large activism groups and NGOs have come out against the repealing of the mask mandate, citing some of the surges caused by the new variant.

castle in Germany

Besides the gray area surrounding masks, Germany is largely finished with pandemic restrictions. Proof of vaccination is no longer required anywhere and large events are being allowed to take place again. Entering the country can be tricky if you are unvaccinated though as you’ll need to prove that you have a reason to visit. 

Croatia

The above three countries are all located within the Schengen Area. Meaning that once you're in one of them, you can enter the rest without going through border control. Think of driving from state to state in the U.S. Now let’s take a look at a country outside of this visa area.  

Croatia has been an interesting example of pandemic rules. The country was one of the first to reopen to Americans in the summer of 2020. It became a hotspot for tourism of all kinds because of the diversity of destinations within the country. Whether you want a beach vacation or to explore a picturesque European city, Croatia has it all. 

croatia

Entry into Croatia has been simple throughout the pandemic and currently. If you are vaccinated, you can just walk in. If you’re not vaccinated, they require a negative test. Once inside the country, everything is pretty much back to normal. Masks are still required, but not always worn and all restaurants are opened to full capacity. 

A Busy Summer

To summarize, Europe is opening up. Maybe at different paces, but all moving in the same direction. This summer is shaping up to be a huge tourism season for the continent and the relaxing of these requirements is making it possible. If you plan on visiting Europe this summer, book soon or you might find yourself paying some hefty prices. 

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.


Al

Sunday 10th of April 2022

I spent 2 weeks in Valencia, Spain and a month in Toledo, Spain and everyone was wearing masks, even outdoors, and hand sanitizer use and basic hygiene were pretty solid. People were very courteous about elevators and small spaces, being patient to wait for the next one. The mask wearing and sanitizer use diminished when I got to Andalusia and, now that I'm in Portugal, it's virtually non-existent. I, personally, preferred the hygiene practices of central Spain and Valencia to the "COVID is ove, who needs hygiene?" mentality here in Portugal, everywhere from the Algarve to Lisbon.

Vrushali Pande

Saturday 9th of April 2022

How is it to travel to Italy this summer?

MARY

Saturday 9th of April 2022

Just returned from Germany and Greece. Should be noted that you may enter EU only up to 270 days after 2 vaccine , however each country has iwn interior rules, in Greece you can enter country but cannot enter museums or inside dining after 7 months of last vaccine

Christian

Friday 8th of April 2022

In theory, one might land in a Schengen country that has no entry requirements, and then move on to another Schengen country with entry requirements hoping to avoid any control due to the absence of border control. However, one might wonder if flying from a Schengen country to another Schengen country is more controlled than, for example by car or train. For example, if my destination is Vienna, a city in a country with ultra fascist Covid rules, could I fly to Slovenia (no entry requirements), and then take a flight from Slovenia to Vienna? Or would I have a better chance to go by train, car or foot? It is my bet that flying between Schengen countries should be avoided, but I can’t verify for sure.

Christian

Thursday 7th of April 2022

I like this article because it does make a difference between Schengen zone countries and those outside of it, which most writers skip. In the beginning of the plandemic, Croatia had no entry requirements, while now, it is easier to enter Slovenia which is a Schengen country. Entering Slovenia gives you easy access to countries under fascist rules like Italy, France, and Austria, but not Croatia. So, I think it is only a matter of time until Croatia will lift all their entry requirements.