A sun holiday this year is a step closer after many EU nations - including Spain - began easing their border controls as coronavirus cases declined after three months of lockdown.
To mark the softening of restrictions the European Commission yesterday launched a special website to help European travellers to plan their holidays.
The “ reopen.europa.eu/en ” gives detailed information on travel, coronavirus rules, and whether hotels and beaches are open.
Already hundreds of German sunseekers, the first tourists to visit Spain since borders were closed in March, arrived in Mallorca on Monday on a flight from Düsseldorf.
Spain will be fully open to tourists with some restrictions from next Sunday while Greece reopened to international tourism yesterday but British travellers are still barred.
While Spanish borders are set to reopen on Sunday, British tourists have been left off of the list of approved travellers.
Irish people who are planning a holiday are advised to check the new EU website which gives up-to-date information from all the EU member States in relation to border closures, travel restrictions, quarantine requirements and local tourism operators.
As of yesterday travellers from EU member states can visit France without a health certificate or any form of quarantine upon arrival but passengers from Spain and the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Italy opened its borders on June 3 to EU citizens following the nationwide lockdown which came into force on March 9.
At the weekend the country’s Prime Minister confirmed that travellers from all countries in the Schengen area and the EU will be allowed to enter from June 21.
From this date, visitors from these countries will no longer be required to stay in quarantine for two weeks.
Only Portugal is excluded, because its leaders have agreed a ceremonial reopening of the borders with neighbour Spain on July 1.
However the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs still advises that you should avoid all non-essential travel to the country.
Meanwhile popular tourism hotspot Benidorm finally opened its beaches on Monday after three months of being closed.
It is one of the last batch of holiday resorts in Spain to be opened to tourists the country’s coronavirus pandemic restrictions ease.
The local council said it has drawn up a comprehensive plan with a beach management contractor and Visit Benidorm.
It will include an online booking system, designated spaces for over-70s, and a beach-goer limit of around 26,000 at any one time.
