Greece is officially open to tourists as of Monday, with the first international flights expected into Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki, where passengers will not face compulsory coronavirus testing upon arrival.
However, visitors to Greece will still be subject to random coronavirus testing for an undetermined period of time.
Direct international flights to regional airports, including those on the Greek islands, will begin on July 1.
While some limited international flights had been allowed during Greece’s coronavirus lockdown, imposed in March, all arriving passengers had been subject to compulsory coronavirus testing and quarantines.
On Saturday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on an official visit to the popular holiday island of Santorini, said that the safety of tourists this year is of the utmost priority.
“Greece is ready to welcome tourists this summer by putting their safety and their health as a number one priority,” Mitsotakis said.
On Monday, Athens International Airport lifted restrictions on arrivals from the nations of Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands until June 30.
Flights from Albania and North Macedonia will be allowed only for essential travel of non-tourist nature, while the ban on flights from Great Britain and Turkey will be maintained, regardless of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) list.
Thessaloniki’s International Airport also opened on Monday, after three months of restrictions.
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