Summer 2021 Restrictions in Greece – How they Might Affect your Vacation

On 14th May 2021, the tourist season officially opened in Greece. However, certain movement restrictions and rules are still in place. Here’s what you need to know to travel to Greece in Summer 2021.

Summer 2021 – Restrictions in Greece

This article about summer 2021 will no longer be updated. If you are travelling to Greece from 22 November 2021 onward, please refer to these two articles:

Since May 14th, Greece has been welcoming travellers into the country. This is an ideal time to visit popular islands like Santorini or Mykonos. We visited five islands in May and June – you can see an overview of our budget here.

If you are planning to visit Greece in 2021, you will find a few restrictions still exist within the country, and they tend to change often. It’s important to be aware of these restrictions in advance of your planned vacation. 

Lockdown measures in Greece April 2021

Hi, I’m Vanessa from Athens! I’ve been following the lockdown measures in Greece since March 2020. The purpose of this article is to provide information about all local travel restrictions and laws that are in place because of COVID-19 for Summer 2021.This article was last updated on 25 August 2021 and will no longer be updated

 

Summer 2021 – Movement Restrictions in Greece

The following rules apply everywhere in Greece:

  • Masks need to be used in all indoors areas and outdoors crowded areas, for anyone over 4 years old. Note: Depending on where you go in Greece, you may not see any masks at all. This doesn’t mean that you should forget about them.
  • Social distancing (1.5 metres) needs to be maintained
  • Up to six people (driver + five passengers) are allowed in vehicles with a passenger carrying capacity of up to 7 people. There are exceptions for families with young children, for people in need of medical assistance, and for teachers and students in rural areas.
  • Up to eight people (driver + seven passengers) are allowed in vehicles with a passenger carrying capacity of up to 9 people.
  • Tourist coaches run at 85% capacity, ferries at 50-85% capacity, depending on the type of ferry. Cruise boats and yachts also run with limited capacity, depending on the size of the boat.

Inside the Acropolis Athens Greece

If you are travelling in Greece Summer 2021 you may need to take a Covid-19 test

In many cases, people travelling in Greece in summer 2021 will need to get a test for Covid-19.

First of all, your country of origin might ask for a negative Covid test before you return.

Moreover, unless you have paperwork proving that you have either been vaccinated (at least 14 days ago) or contracted Covid-19, you may need to have a negative test for travelling in Greece. This includes any family members who are 12 – 18 years old.

Here are all the rules that apply for ferry and airplane travel in Greece for Summer 2021. As these rules change frequently, please bookmark the article and check it from time to time. In addition, always check with your ferry company or air carrier.

Scenario: Let’s assume you have not been vaccinated, and have not contracted Covid-19. If you are planning to visit Athens for a couple of days and then move to an island, you will need to take another test if the test with which you entered the country has expired. The same will apply if you are island hopping in Greece.

Finally, here is some important information about international travel to and from Greece.

Travelling in Greece 2021 – Where to get a Covid test

There are three types of tests you can take in Greece. Here is where to get them, and how much they cost.

Self tests: These are tests which you can do yourself at home. They are available from all pharmacies in Greece at a cost of around 5 – 10 euro. You will need to print out and use this paper form where you will declare the result of the test. You can use this test when travelling between islands in the same Administrative Unit, or for children from 12 – 18 years old.

Rapid tests: These are available at medical labs and some airports, at a cost of 20 euro (might be higher in certain areas like Santorini). The results are normally e-mailed to you a few hours after you’ve had the test. You can use a rapid test for any travel within Greece.

PCR tests: These are also available at labs and some airports, normally at a cost of 60 euro. For anyone who needs to have a PCR test in Athens, a lab called Genelabs offers the test for 40 euro. Again, you will receive the result in your e-mail. PCR tests are good for any travel within Greece.

Here’s a complete article on where to get a Covid-19 in Greece and more info on testing. Includes popular areas like Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc.

 

 

A blue-domed church in Agapi village Tinos

How to book Greek ferries

I use Ferryscanner to book ferries in Greece. If you use this link, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which helps me run this website and post all the covid-related info!

Greece Summer 2021 – Tavernas, cafes, bars, nightclubs

These venues are now open with restrictions on the number of people, seating arrangements etc. Here is a quick overview:

Tavernas, restaurants and cafes can operate outdoors and indoors. However, indoors venues only allow access to people who have either been vaccinated, or have contracted Covid in the last few months and have a certificate to prove it. There is a max number of 10 people per table.

Clubs and nightclubs currently operate with restrictions on the number of people. Customers will need to either be vaccinated or have recovered from COVID. Only seated customers are allowed.

You can read more about dining and entertainment restrictions in this article.

Greece Summer 2021 – Shops, shopping malls

All shops and services are now open in Greece, with restrictions on number of customers and mandatory masks. This includes the following types of shops:

  • All retail stores, shopping malls and outlets
  • Supermarkets, bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, other grocery stores, kiosks
  • Street markets, including the Varvakios market in Athens
  • Our traditional feasts, panigiria, will only be celebrated in areas where at least 50% of the population has been vaccinated (e.g. Amorgos)
  • Hair salons, nail salons and beauty salons, by appointment

Greece Meteora panoramic view

Greece Summer 2021 – Tourist activities, entertainment

Entertainment venues and tourist activities currently operate with restrictions on the number of people. Masks will be mandatory in most of these venues – when in doubt, just ask.

  • Archaeological sites – if you are going with a licensed guide, they will explain any further rules. Here’s how to book a guided tour to the Acropolis in Athens.
  • Museums – if you are going with a licensed guide, they will explain any further rules
  • Zoos, natural reserves, caves (e.g. the cave in Antiparos)
  • Playgrounds, funfairs
  • Outdoors cinemas, with compulsory e-ticketing
  • Open theatres and open-air concert venues, only for seated viewers, with compulsory e-ticketing 
  • Indoors cinemas and theatres, with a 50% limitation on number of viewers. People can only go to these venues if they have either been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.
  • Casinos

Protocol for gyms around Greece

After several months of being closed, gyms around the country reopened on 31 May. Here are the rules…
  • All gym members (workers and members) will need to take a weekly COVID test. Anyone who is entitled to a self test can use that, otherwise they will need to take a rapid test. People who have completed their vaccination process at least 14 days before going to the gym are exempt from taking a test.
  • Gyms will operate by appointment only. Members will need to sign in, and declare their test result.
  • Gyms will operate with specific numbers of gym members (1 person per 10 sq.m. / 2 metre distance).
  • Unless doing aerobics exercises, gym members will need to wear either a double mask, or a KN95 / FFP2 mask. People who have completed their vaccination process at least 14 days before going to the gym are exempt.
  • During aerobics exercises, a distance of 3 metres has to be respected.
  • Gym members should wash their hands frequently and avoid contact wherever possible.
  • Showers and saunas will not be in use.

Gyms are reopening in Greece

Sources for this article

I have collected the above information from official announcements and the following official websites:

Milos Beaches - Kleftiko beach in Milos Greece

If this article has helped you, please share!

22 thoughts on “Summer 2021 Restrictions in Greece – How they Might Affect your Vacation”

  1. In Belgium, we haven’t the greenpass of vaccination. Just a paper with name, dates of vaccination, the name of vaccin, the dates we made vaccin and the number of lot. It is enough

    Reply
    • Exactly, the proof of vaccination is the same here in Greece. I am not fully aware of the greenpass yet, I will add it to the article when I have solid info.

      Reply
    • My friend is travelling to Thessaloniki on 16th June from Ireland. She had her full covid vaccinations on 1st June.
      Does she still need to do a pcr test?
      Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Hi! Since this is more than 14 days after her last round of vaccinations, she should be fine, as long as she has a valid government certificate with the date, name etc in English. Thessaloniki is amazing, enjoy!

        Reply
  2. Great article thanks!

    I’m visiting Crete in June. If I wanted to take a ferry from Crete to Santorini for one or two nights and then return back to Crete, I wouldn’t need a test to board the ferry to Santorini?

    Reply
    • With the current rules (as things stand on 15 May), you wouldn’t. However, please check back on this article which I will keep updated with all further announcements when there are any. In addition, always talk to the ferry companies as they are obliged to have all latest info! Enjoy your trip!

      Reply
  3. Thank you for all the valuable information! I clicked on the paper forms to download them for my upcoming (hopefully!) ferry trip to Crete and I saw that one of the forms does require an AMKA number. What are we supposed to put there, I assume we can’t just leave it empty? Don’t want to risk not being allowed to board. I know some Greek but I can’t make heads or tails of the selftest website unfortunately either to use that instead!

    Reply
    • Thank you for your question, I’ve also been wondering myself. While the authorities have explained that both residents AND visitors can use the self-test, as per the official Civil Aviation Authority website,
      they have not clarified explicitly (yet!) if visitors should just leave the AMKA field blank. I would encourage you to get in touch with the ferry company, though in the meantime more clarifications should be provided. If you are travelling soon, you might be better off getting the rapid test, for peace of mind. (If you live here, you can also apply for a temporary AMKA). It would be great if you could post an update of what the ferry company has told you! Thanks!

      Reply
  4. We are going to use a self test for our 17 year old daughter. When I click on the link above, it is in Greek. Is there an English translation? We are arriving in June and I’m getting nervous about making sure we have the right documentation for her. My husband and I have both had vaccinations.

    Reply
    • If you are coming from abroad, your daughter will need to have a PCR rest taken in the 72 hours before arrival to enter Greece. If you are referring to the form that you will need to use from the mainland to one of the islands, the platform only applies for people with Greek credentials. As she is a visitor, she would need to fill out the attached paperforms. However, as June is a few weeks from now, I would suggest you get in touch with your airline / ferry company, since rules may have changed by then. I will be updating this article with all new announcements so you can go back to it from time to time. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  5. Hi – curious about the PLF required to enter. It says you must include addresses of every place you’re staying during your trip, but what if you are only planning several days in advance (E.g., only have a hotel booked for the first three nights, but unsure of exact plan from there)

    Reply
    • What I’ve seen in several FB groups, is that people only include the address of the first place they are staying. And according to travel.gov.gr, “In case of multiple stays, they are required to provide the address for the first 24 hours at least.” Enjoy your holiday!

      Reply
  6. Hi, I my husband and I are coming to Greece by car from Serbia. We have been fully vaccinated since March this year – I -Sinofarm and my husband thhe Russian vaccine. Will we have to be tested on the border – I heard that everybody is being tested as of this Monday.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hello, according to the official travel website travel.gov.gr the Sinopharm is accepted. Please check the website for specific Russian vaccines that are accepted. Enjoy your holiday!

      Reply
    • This is up to the UK government to decide! I have no opinion at all, but I really hope you can make it!

      Reply
  7. Hi, my husband, myself and our 12 year old son hope to travel to Crete on the 12th August this year. My husband and I have both been double vaccinated.
    Please could you tell me what documentation we shall be required to complete and also any testing that might be required.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hello, all current information is actually included in this article. As things may have changed by August please feel free to ask again closer to the time (I will also update this article with any changes). Also, please read this latest article with more rules for certain venues, in effect as of 15th July. I am assuming you are travelling from the UK, really hope you can make it 🙂

      Reply

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