New COVID measures in Greece for March 2021 have been announced. In this article, you can find all measures that the government is taking to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Greece in 2021.
COVID restrictions Greece for March 2021 {Article updated on 2 April}
All measures mentioned in this article are in place until 5 April, unless otherwise mentioned.
Many of the measures have been carried over from February. You can see all February COVID restrictions here.
Since November 2020, there has been a pretty strict lockdown here in Greece. In February, new rules were introduced in certain areas of the country. For many of us living in Athens, the snowstorm on 16th February was a very welcome break!
Hi, I’m Vanessa! I’m Greek and I’ve been following the COVID measures since Day 1. In this article, I’ve listed all COVID measures in Greece for March 2021, to help non-Greek speakers living in or travelling to Greece.
I am constantly updating this article with any changes that are announced throughout March. Feel free to refer to it from time to time. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer. Also, please share this article with anyone who might find it helpful.
Two levels of Lockdown Restrictions Greece 2021
Greece is currently divided in two zones, “red” and “deep red”. Depending on the zone, the lockdown restrictions may be different. This is the latest version of the map:
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- A: deep red (very increased danger) – including Athens and the rest of Attica, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Mykonos
- B: red (increased danger) – the remaining areas of the country.
Map taken from the official website on 20 March
Certain measures are currently in place all around Greece (for the purposes of this article, I’ll refer to them as universal measures). Here’s a summary:
- There is now a curfew from 21.00 – 05.00 everywhere around the country.
- Movement is only allowed with a movement permit (sms or paper form), according to the official website (in Greek and English)
- Mandatory use of masks everywhere (there are exceptions for private cars, exercising in organized spaces, and workplaces, when one person only is present)
- Recreational fishing is allowed, either from the coast or from a boat of up to 8 metres, using code 6 (movement on foot or by bicycle only)
- Up to three people total (driver + two passengers) are allowed in private vehicles and taxis. There are exceptions for families with children, for people in need of medical assistance, and for teachers and students in rural areas.
- Restaurants and cafes (for seated customers), bars, cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, children’s playgrounds, zoos, gyms and similar activities, driving schools, ski centres, campsites and a few more services remain closed.
COVID restrictions – Movement changes
As mentioned above, movement outside work reasons is only allowed with a movement permit. You can see how to use an sms or paper form in the official FORMA website (in Greek and English).
The following changes have been introduced for movement all around the country:
- Code 2 (shopping) and code 3 (when used for banks) will only be possible in our own municipality, or at max 2 kms from home. The 2 km distance does not apply for hair salons, nail salons, KTEO services or car garages, so you can go to another municipality.
- Shopping time in any type of store is limited to 2 hours, apart from hair salons and nail salons where it’s limited to 3 hours. There is no limitation for KTEO services or car garages.
- Code 6 (exercise, walking pets, ) will only be on foot or by bicycle, i.e. you cannot drive to another area to exercise by car or motorbike. There is no other limitation about either distance from home or municipality.
- As for code 4 (helping someone in need), there will be stricter controls.
What is currently open in Greece? Essential services
The following stores and services remain open all around Greece:
- Supermarkets (with restrictions on the types of items on sale)
- Bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, other grocery stores, kiosks
- Street markets, including the Varvakios market in Athens
- Restaurants, coffee shops etc, only for deliveries and take-aways
- Pharmacies, hospitals, doctors, health services
- KTEO (Vehicle technical control services), by appointment only
- Gas stations, car repair services / garages
- Banks, post offices
- Supreme courts and special courts
- Cleaners (e.g. carpet cleaners)
- Pet shops, veterinarians
- Opticians and stores selling hearing aids, by appointment only
- Mobile telephony businesses, for selected services
- Special schools remain open as usual
- All other schools (kindergartens, primary schools, high schools), operate with online learning
- Universities operate with online learning
- Hair salons, nail salons, by appointment, using code 2 for our own municipality / code 6 for our another municipality
- Outdoors archaeological sites – Access is possible only on foot or by bicycle, using code 6, for up to three people (no limit for families)
- Different shops and services operate in each area. See each individual section below.
“Deep red” Zones Greece March 2021 – Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Mykonos and others
Greece is divided into Regional Units (RU). Each of which has several Municipalities. The following areas are currently “deep red” zones, where stricter measures are in place.
Attica
The whole Region of Attica, including the Saronic islands
Macedonia
- RU of Thessaloniki
- RU of Chalkidiki
- RU of Kozani
- RU of Pella
- RU of Kilkis
- RU of Grevena > Municipality of Grevena
- RU of Imathia > Municipality of Veria
- RU of Pieria > Municipality of Katerini
- RU Serron > Municipalities of Serron and Amfipolis
- RU Kastorias > Municipalities of Kastoria and Orestida
Epirus
- RU of Ioannina > Municipalities Ioanniton and Konitsas
Thessaly
- Municipality of Karditsa
Sterea Ellada
- RU of Viotia
- RU of Fthiotida
- RU of Aitoloakarnania
- RU of Evrytania
- RU of Evia, including Skyros
Peloponnese
- RU of Achaia
- RU of Arkadia
- RU of Corinthia
- RU of Argolida
Crete
- RU of Rethymno > Municipality of Anogeia
- RU of Chania > Municipality of Chania
The following Greek islands:
- Rhodes
- Chalki
- Chios
- Kalymnos
- Astypalaia
- Leros
- Lesvos
- Skiathos
- Zakynthos
- Mykonos
Additional Lockdown Measures Greece March 2021 – Athens and Other “Deep Red” Zones
For these areas, apart from the universal lockdown measures, the following additional restrictions are in place:
- Shopping time for supermarkets, minimarkets and similar stores is limited to two hours
- All retail stores remain closed and only operate with deliveries
- Churches remain open only for funerals and weddings.
“Red” Zones Greece March 2021 – Additional Lockdown Measures
All other areas in Greece have now been classified as “red zones”. This includes the popular Greek islands of Santorini and Milos, also most of the Cyclades and the Ionian islands.
Apart from the universal measures, the following additional measures are in place for the red zones:
- Bookstores, clothes stores and shoe stores operate with the “click-inside” method
- All other retail stores operate with the “click-away” method
- Maximum time spent for shopping in any of the above stores is two hours
- Beauty salons and dietitian services remain open
- Up to 9 people are allowed in churches and other places of worship
Click-inside vs click-away
These two terms that apply in certain areas have caused quite a stir!
- “Click-inside” method: An appointment has to be made in advance with the store. The customer can go inside the store, look around, and pay for their purchases with a card or cash.
- “Click-away” method: This means that the goods have to be pre-ordered before your visit. They will need to be paid for at the store entrance, with a card (no cash).
How about travelling around Greece?
Travelling between Regional Units in Greece is not allowed. Apart from certain exceptions, people can only travel in their own Regional Unit. Here are the exceptions:
- work related reasons
- health reasons
- returning to the primary area of residence (upon showing official proof of permanent address, which needs to be obtained through the Taxis system)
- reunion of families (this includes divorced families)
- funeral of a close relative.
Finally, here is some info about international travel to and from Greece.
Sources for this article
All the information above is collected from the official announcements that happen every Friday, at 6pm, plus several official websites:
- The official travel website (English) – Information related to international travel from / to Greece
- The official COVID website (Greek) – Information about measures
- FORMA website (Greek and English) – Here you can find all information related to movement permits in Greece
- Official Government Gazettes – ΦΕΚ (Greek) – This is where all measures are published in detail, but it takes ages to go through them.
If this article has helped you in any way, please feel free to share!
This is all so helpful – thank you.
I love your page. Thank you so much for all this info. I have a friend who lives in Glyfada and I can only imagine his frustration with all this restrinctions. He hates staying at home. It’s kinda hillarious.
I’m planning myself to visit Greece for the first time next year, and for sure this page gonna be my absolute guide. Thank you again! I’m from Venezuela, btw. XO
Ohhh this is one of the countries I really want to go 🙂 Glad to know the page is helpful! Yes the restrictions are insane, but at least your friend has access to the beach! Best of luck with your travel plans, and stay tuned!
Yea, he goes to the beach to not go crazy lol.
Oh, good to know that! Whenever you come to Venezuela let me know if you want. I live by the beach near one of the most beautiful National Parks in Venezuela. Its name is Mochima. Google it and you’ll see. I have a big house if you need a place to stay. I mean it.
I’ll be checking on your updates for sure!! Efjaristó poly!!
<3 This is very nice of you! I will take your offer up if I ever manage to travel there, you've been warned :) It looks so exotic! I hope you can also travel here - let me know and we can meet up :)
Hi, can we visit another house for a meal as we have been invited. Not sure if this is allowed, 2 people from one household inviting 2 people from another. Our friend says it’s fine but if we get stopped by the police what do we say?
Thanks
With the current measures, this is not allowed strictly speaking. If your friend lives closeby, you could combine it with a walk or some exercise, as IF you are stopped being in a car it is a really grey area. Hope this helps!
Hi Vanessa,
we regreat your website from a friendgirl. Thanks for it.
My question: did you get a new data for the red and darkred zones?
We are still waiting for travelling forward to the east-northern peleponnes and than north, direction chalkidiki.
We are still in Messinia.
Greetings Birgit
Hello! No solid news yet regarding intra-regional travel… I will keep updating this post with everything new 🙂 Thank you for your support!
Hey,
Thank you for breaking down the restrictions so clearly!
Do you need a valid reason to enter Greece (family, heath, work etc) at the moment?
Thanks!
Hello and thanks for your question. The way I understand it, if you come from the EU/Schengen zone or one of the (currently) 10 permitted countries, it doesn’t appear that you need to have a “valid” reason like you say. Current rumours are that the self-isolation period might be lifted soon, at least for holders of certain passports, so if you are not in a hurry to travel to Greece you could perhaps delay your trip for a bit, until official announcements are made? Btw, I’ve got two newer articles for you to check out > this one and this one
Thank you!
The plan is to travel late May, so hopefully things become clearer by then.
Do you know if you can travel within a regional unit freely?
From what I have read it seems some islands eg Naxos are in a regional unit with other islands, in theory could you travel between them on ferries?
At the moment, travelling between islands (even in the same Regional Unit) is only permitted for essential reasons as far as I know. At the time you are coming, everything should be allowed – I definitely hope so as we are planning to be around the islands ourselves 😀 Naxos is great btw, check this article out 🙂 It’s a fantastic time of year to be here, you will love it!
Do you know what the current rules are for how many people can meet up outdoors under red and deep red? I have read in different sources that 3 or 6 can meet together under red. I can’t find a source for the number under deep red.
For Easter Sunday, they have explicitly said that it’s up to 9 people from two different families if sitting indoors, and 12 if sitting outdoors. For all other days, “gatherings” are still technically not allowed, exercising is for up to 3 people, and sitting at a restaurant / cafe table is up to 6 people. This is my most recent article for April and May which I will keep updating until mid-May, so you can see all current measure there!