Do I need to take a test before travel to Greece? 

Fully vaccinated arrivals no longer need to show evidence of a negative Covid-19 test result, although unvaccinated arrivals must bring with them either a negative PCR test (no more than 72 hours old) or a negative rapid antigen test (issued by an authorised laboratory and undertaken within the 24-hour period before arrival). 

In addition, arrivals may be required to undergo a rapid test on arrival. If they test positive, they (and those travelling with them) will have to self-isolate for at least five days at home or in quarantine hotels provided by the Greek state.

You no longer need to fill in a passenger locator form to visit Greece.

No additional curbs are placed on unvaccinated travellers at the border. However, significant restrictions are in force on the ground (see below). 

What are the rules for children?

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged five and older are required to take a pre-departure PCR test (no more than 72 hours before arrival) or a negative rapid antigen test (issued by an authorised laboratory and undertaken within the 24-hour period before arrival). 

Do I need to wear a mask? 

Mask wearing indoors has been obligatory since mid-January and it is now mandatory to wear FFP2 masks or double masks in supermarkets. 

Mask-wearing is strictly enforced in towns – especially in supermarkets and shops – but less so in rural areas. It is no longer mandatory to wear masks outdoors.

What are the rules on beaches? 

With sunbeds set at a reglementary distance of 1.5m from each other, social distancing is the rule on Greek beaches. In practise, however, in more crowded resorts such as Mykonos the rules are rarely respected.

Masks are supposed to be mandatory on the beach, but no-one wears them.

What are the rules in bars? 

Greek bars have been hit badly by the pandemic and many have been forced to close. Since February 7, bars are allowed to play music, there is no longer a midnight nightlife curfew and live music events are permitted

Strict laws – including a seated-only rule – are still in place, however, and please be aware that there are stiff penalties for F&B owners who allow their customers to stand, dance or mingle with each other on their premises. 

What are the rules for restaurants? 

As with bars, since late December 2021 only vaccinated clients are allowed to sit at indoor and outdoor tables of restaurants, with a maximum of six per table. Businesses use a government-launched app to scan digital vaccination certificates and check their validity. 

Customers (indoors and out) must remain seated and wait to be served. Masks are mandatory when leaving the table or visiting the toilet. 

What are the rules for shopping? 

Mask-wearing is mandatory in all inside spaces and in supermarkets FFP2 masks or double masks are obligatory, although in rural areas there has been very little action taken to enforce the law. 

In order to respect the two-metre distance rule most shops will also limit entry according to capacity. In larger supermarkets mask-wearing is strictly enforced, although social distancing tends to be more lax.