Twelve places UK holidaymakers can travel to even if they’re unvaccinated
Covid-19 has scuppered countless travel plans, but some countries are relaxing the rules around visitors…
Covid-19 has scuppered countless travel plans, but some countries are relaxing the rules around visitors from the UK – even if they’re unvaccinated.
While countries such as Spain or France require holidaymakers to be fully vaccinated, there are others that don’t require tourists to be jabbed at all, including one on this list that welcomes visitors with no red tape whatsoever.
Whether you’re looking to travel but aren’t fully vaccinated or have a teenager in tow who hasn’t had the jab yet, it’s a hot topic. In fact, at the time of writing, ‘places you can visit unvaccinated’ was one of the most popular Google travel searches over the past few weeks, according to Google Trends. Here are 12 places you can travel to if you or one of your party hasn’t had the jab or isn’t fully vaccinated…
Mexico
Culture vultures should head straight to Mexico City, pictured
Entry to Mexico just requires UK visitors to fill out the passenger locator form Vuela Seguro prior to their flight, and show the QR code on arrival.
Looking for a slice of tropical paradise? Bacalar in Mexico is a must. The pretty town houses one of the world’s most stunning natural beauties: the Lake of the Seven Colors.
Culture vultures should head straight to Mexico City. Despite the famous smog, a good place to get an early idea of this vast metropolis is the viewing platform of the 44-storey Torre Latinoamericana building. You may also be able to see the two snow-capped volcanic peaks of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl beyond the city limits.
Click here for the rules.
El Salvador
El Salvador is dotted with pretty villages, surf-friendly beaches and fascinating Mayan relics. Plus volcanoes
There are currently no entry requirements for UK passengers to visit El Salvador.
The UK government website does, however, advise bringing proof of vaccination in order to attend certain events.
The small Central American country recently turned heads when it made Bitcoin legal currency, and pledged to build a ‘Bitcoin City’ at the base of a volcano.
And if Bitcoin doesn’t float your boat, El Salvador is dotted with pretty villages, surf-friendly beaches and fascinating Mayan relics. The vast complex of Tazumal — a centre of trade dating back to around 5000 BCE — is one of the most spectacular.
Click here for the rules.
Portugal
Venture to Porto for a laid-back cosmopolitan city with a rich food and drink scene
Unvaccinated visitors must provide a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before landing, or a negative antigen test taken 24 hours before landing.
The sunny southern European country is well set up for tourists. Head to the Algarve for fine sand beaches and picture-perfect towns, or venture to Porto for a laid-back cosmopolitan city with a rich food and drink scene.
The hilly, coastal capital Lisbon makes for an unrivalled city break, with cute local neighbourhoods, bars on sun-soaked terraces, world-class art galleries and charming independent boutiques.
Click here for the rules.
Croatia
Located at the crossroads of central and southeastern Europe, Croatia was one of the first places holidaymakers looked to when travel restrictions loosened, with bookings up 50 per cent last year. Pictured is Dubrovnik
Croatia offers a number of options.
Unvaccinated UK visitors can take a PCR test 72 hours before landing, an antigen test 24 hours before landing, show a certificate showing that they have recovered from Covid-19 and have received one dose of vaccine, show a positive PCR or antigen test taken in the previous 180 days and is older than 11 days, or take a PCR or antigen test immediately upon arrival and self isolate until they receive the results, with a seven-day confinement if it’s positive.
Located at the crossroads of central and southeastern Europe, Croatia was one of the first places holidaymakers looked to when travel restrictions loosened, with bookings up 50 per cent last year.
Canny tourists go in search of island-dotted sapphire waters, stunning architecture and ancient walled cities. The top-booked Croatian airports are Split, Dubrovnik and Zagreb.
Click here for the rules.
Cyprus
Pictured is Cyprus’s stunning Nissi Beach in the resort of Ayia Napa
Passengers travelling to Cyprus must present a negative PCR taken 72 hours before departure, or an antigen taken 24 hours before departure.
Upon arrival all passengers above the age of 12 must take a PCR test at the airport, and self-isolate in their accommodation until the results are available.
Visitors will be rewarded with a sun-soaked island with glorious beaches, from the family-friendly blue flag Nissi Beach to the secret sandy paradise of Alaminos Beach, which is tucked away from view and only frequented by those in the know.
Click here for the rules.
Slovenia
Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana (pictured), is a must-see for anyone making the trip
Visitors to Slovenia must provide either a PCR test no older than 48 hours, an antigen test no older than 24 hours, or a positive PCR test that is older than ten days but not older than six months.
Failing that, visitors can choose to quarantine for seven days, if they have proof that they have accommodation.
Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, is a must-see for anyone making the trip. Set on the meandering river Ljubljanica with dramatic mountains rising to the north, the city boasts art galleries and museums interspersed between splendid art nouveau and neo-classical buildings.
Click here for the rules.
Turkey
Tourists in Turkey should take in the bazaars of Istanbul (pictured), the exquisite coves of Turunc, and the ancient tombs on the Dalyan river
Passengers over the age of 12 must present a PCR test taken in the past 72 hours or an antigen taken in the past 24 hours.
Long-favoured by British sun-seekers, tourists should take in the bazaars of Istanbul, the exquisite coves of Turunc, and the ancient tombs on the Dalyan river.
Be sure to catch a game of oil wrestling too – the revered ancient Turkish sport where men tackle each other in a pair of leather shorts while covered in olive oil.
Click here for the travel rules.
Maldives
Luxurious resorts are the main draw for Maldives holidaymakers, but don’t overlook the capital, Malé (pictured)
Visitors to the Maldives must provide a negative PCR test taken 96 hours prior to departure, counting from the first port of embarkation en-route. Unvaccinated tourists may stay in any resort, but unvaccinated people looking to stay on an inhabited island should only go to islands where a vaccination programme has been completed.
Luxurious resorts are the main draw for Maldives holidaymakers, but don’t overlook the capital, Malé. The most densely populated city in the world, it’s buzzing with restaurants and cafes, all serving traditional Maldivian fare peppered with Sri Lankan and Indian influences.
Resort-wise, Maldives offers everything one would imagine from a tropical paradise and more, from waterfront villas with 62ft waterslides at Soneva Fushi to superb snorkelling at Cora Cora.
Click here for the rules.
Dominican Republic
The Parque Nacional Jaragua (pictured) is a stunning area in the Dominican Republic
Passengers from the UK must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.
From the Dominican Republic’s capital Santo Domingo it is a long, bumpy drive down to the Parque Nacional Jaragua and Bahia de las Aguilas, but those who make the effort are rewarded with some of the prettiest beaches in the Caribbean along five miles of unspoilt coastline.
Continue the trip along the untouched coast of Barahona to find the small beaches popular with locals but undiscovered by tourists.
Click here for the rules.
Egypt
The pyramids in Giza, pictured, are a must-visit. But so too is the city’s Grand Egyptian Museum
Passengers must complete a paper health declaration and will need to provide confirmation of a valid health insurance policy to airport authorities. Moreover, you must have a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure.
Egypt will be on a roll in 2022. This year marks 100 years since British Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the boy pharaoh, Tutankhamun, in Luxor and the 200th anniversary of the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked the mystery of hieroglyphs.
After you’ve seen the pyramids for yourself take in some world-class museums; the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza will showcase 100,000 artefacts from ancient Egypt this year, including the entire King Tut collection.
Click here for the rules.
Ireland
The iconic Temple Bar in Dublin is the most Instagrammed pub in Ireland
Unvaccinated visitors will need to show proof of a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before entry.
A good pint of Guinness, unbeatable pub culture and a warm welcome are all brilliant reasons to visit Ireland. We love the iconic Temple Bar, located in the heart of Dublin and established in 1840. Not only does it pour a grand pint, research has revealed that it is the most Instagrammed pub in Ireland, having been tagged in over 520,000 posts.
Nature lovers could head to the west coast Wild Atlantic Way, a scenic 1,500 miles of Ireland’s most stunning landscapes.
Click here for the rules.
Italy
Verona, pictured, is a great option for cultural enlightenment without the crowds
The UK is on Italy’s D list, which means that passengers aged six years and older have to show a negative PCR test taken 48 hours prior to entry, or a negative antigen test 24 hours prior to entry.
They must then inform the local health authority of their entry to Italy, travel to their final destination by private transport, self isolate for five days, and take a PCR or antigen test at the end of the isolation period.
Fly to Naples to visit nearby Sorrento, offering breathtaking sea views and plenty to do for couples and those travelling with family.
Verona, meanwhile, is a great option for cultural enlightenment without the crowds. The setting of three Shakespeare works and famed for its wholesome cuisine such as creamy risottos and tortellinis, the northern Italian medieval city has charm all year round.
Click here for the rules.