Amber is the new green!
It’s ferociously complicated, but holidays to sunny hotspots are BACK ON this summer. Here’s everything you need to know... and there are great deals to suit all budgets
THE UK Government’s travel traffic light system has been topsyturvy for so long that it’s no wonder many of us doubted whether we would enjoy a holiday abroad this year. So this week’s announcement that those who are double-jabbed may visit ‘amber’ listed countries without having to quarantine on return to England from July 19 is hugely welcome. Suddenly, popular ‘amber’ holiday spots such as Spain, France and Greece have effectively turned ‘green’.
All you need to do is show your Covid pass on the main NHS app or an NHS letter showing that you are fully vaccinated.
The main caveat is that an antigen test is required 72 hours before returning home and a ‘day two’ PCR test is required on return to the UK.
Travellers returning to Scotland from amber list countries must still isolate even if they have been double-jabbed.
Passengers must pay £170 for two Covid tests on day two. They will also need to quarantine for ten days following their arrival.
The rules differ from those coming into effect in England on July 19, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has not ruled out adopting the same policy.
It is also vital to check foreign entry rules as well as the Foreign Office advice on whether ‘non-essential’ travel is permitted — listed at gov.uk — as this is important for travel insurance validity. So here’s our guide to some of our most popular ‘amber’ countries . . .
GREEK GETAWAY
RESTAURANTS, bars and beaches are operating as normal, although masks are required indoors — as they are on public transport such as ferries between the islands.
A four-metre social distancing rule is in place on beaches. Archaeological sites are open, including the Acropolis. Live events are happening with strict safety protocols observed. Meanwhile, a Blue Freedom scheme to vaccinate citizens over 18 on islands by the summer has met its targets — and Greece is ‘delighted to be welcoming tourists again’, says the tourist board. See discovergreece.com.
In 2019, 3.4 million Britons went to Greece, making it our seventh most popular destination. Return flights are available to Santorini, Rhodes, Corfu and Athens from less than £75 in August on Skyscanner.net. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Those with proof of double-vaccinations taken 14 days before travel do not have to self-isolate when travelling into Greece.
You can also visit without a Greek quarantine if you are not double-vaccinated but have
taken a PCR Covid test with a negative result within 72 hours before travel or an antigen test with a negative result within 48 hours prior to travel. This rule applies to children aged over 12. All visitors must fill in a Passenger Locator Form by at least the day before travel (travel.gov.gr).
LET’S GO!
Budget: 14 nights at the Liakoto Apartments in Kardamill in the Peloponnese from £1,425pp selfcatering on August 14 from Gatwick (sunvil.co.uk). Mid-range: Seven nights at the Marpunta Resort on the island of Alonnisos in the Aegean Sea from £1,209pp B&B on August 25 from Gatwick (olympicholidays.com). Luxury: A week at Angeliki villa on Corfu from £3,460 sleeping eight, flights extra (cvvillas.com).
ITALY IN BALANCE
ITALY won’t do England any favours on the pitch tomorrow at Wembley — and it’s not being so helpful on the tourist front either: see the current five-day quarantine requirement below.
Once that is over, attractions such as the Colosseum in Rome require you to wear face masks and to take a temperature check. You must also book online at least a day in advance for this and other museums. Meanwhile, face masks are mandatory in public outdoor places where social distancing (of one metre) is not possible and while indoors in public places. Restaurants are open but ‘dance clubs’ are closed. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: It is tough to visit Italy now. Due to concerns there about the Delta variant in the UK, measures are in place that require all British citizens to produce proof of a negative Covid antigen test taken in the 48 hours prior to entering Italy (children under six exempt).
A Digital Passenger Locator Form must be completed. Then, on arrival, you must go into self-isolation for five days, at the end of which another antigen test is required. These rules could be relaxed later in the summer. More information at salute.gov.it on the ‘Covid, travellers’ page.
LET’S GO!
Budget: Seven nights at Hotel La Perla by Lake Garda from £895pp half-board on August 21 from Manchester (tui.co.uk). Mid-range: A fortnight at Orca villa in Scopello on Sicily from £4,039 sleeping eight on August 28, flights excluded (jamesvillas.co.uk). Luxury: Seven nights at Casa alla Scala on Sicily from £4,271 sleeping six in August, flights extra (thethinkingtraveller.com).
CROATIA CALLS
WITH more than 1,000 islands and scores of tucked-away beaches and secluded coves on 3,750 miles of coastline, Croatia is an enticing prospect for a summer holiday in the Med with plenty of social distancing guaranteed. It’s good value, too. Face masks are required to be worn outdoors in public places when you cannot maintain a distance of 1.5 metres. Cafes, bars, restaurants and casinos are open with a closing time of midnight.
Nicola Brnjac, the country’s tourism minister, wants to save the summer for the nation’s tourist industry . ‘It is our duty to provide all the prerequisites for a safe and comfortable trip,’ she says. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Proof of a double-vaccination or of a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival or a negative antigen test 48 hours prior to arrival — or a doctor’s certificate that you have recovered from Covid between 11 and 180 days before going. Children under the age of 12 do not need to take a test before travel if accompanied by an adult who passes the entry requirements. It is also necessary to have proof of your booked accommodation. See the government’s tourist board website for more information: croatia.hr.
LET’S GO!
Budget: Seven nights at Villa Plava in Sibenik on the Dalmatian Coast from £1,940 sleeping six in August, flights excluded (oliverstravels.com) Mid-range: Seven nights at the Hotel Park Plaza Histria in Pula on the Istrian Riviera from £1,005pp all-inclusive on August 15 from Birmingham (firstchoice.co.uk). Luxury: A week at Villa Ivette in the Split region in August from £10,485 sleeping eight, flights extra (croatianvillaholidays.com).
SLIP TO CYPRUS
CYPRUS requires a test on arrival — see below — so that may put a lot of people off. But those who are determined will find the island quieter than ever, with clear roads making it perfect for a day trips and exploring the interior.
Face masks must be worn both inside and outdoors in public places, with a £260 fine for transgressions. A requirement for a SafePass has been put in place for entering certain shopping malls and catering establishments (see gov.uk). ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: UK visitors must take a PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours of arrival. They must then take a PCR test on landing in Cyprus and self-isolate until the result is emailed, which usually takes three hours. Under-12s exempt.
LET’S GO!
Budget: Seven nights from £650 half-board at Hotel Atlantica in Paphos on August 11 from Stansted (tui.co.uk). Mid-range: Seven nights at Olympic Lagoon Resort Paphos from £1,412pp all-inclusive on August 8 from Manchester (jet2holidays.com). Luxury: A week at Villa Anissa from £3,544