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Get ready to bite into Souvlaki (charcoal grilled meat) or Moussaka (aubergine based dish) this summer.
First Italy, and now after six long weeks, Greece has started gradually lifting lockdown restrictions – and now it wants to help salvage your summer holiday. The country’s prime minister has said it could be ready to reopen to overseas visitors as early as July – with hotels opening from mid-June.
In a TV interview at the start of May, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had estimated that if Greece’s two-month plan to ease restrictions is fully successful, it could reopen its borders to travellers ‘at the European level’ by July 1. However, in a new statement released on May 20, Mitsotakis announced that the country’s hotels would be allowed to open even sooner – on June 15. This would be followed on July 1 by international flights starting back up, to welcome visitors from overseas. Certain activities are likely to still be restricted by the time travellers are let in to the country, including travel to many Greek islands.
So, incredibly, your dreams of a balmy beach getaway this summer might not be that far-fetched after all. Anyone for ouzo? (a dry anise-flavoured spirit that is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus)
If Greece is on your bucketlist and you are a food lover like us, you may want to check out the following stories:
• A Vegetarian Food Walk in Santorini
• Horiatiki Salad, As Greek As It Gets
For the latest information on traveling during the coronavirus outbreak, visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
