Greece has reopened -- but here’s why you may want to wait to go

On a recent Monday, I was enjoying an uncommonly quiet afternoon working from home when I got an urgent Slack message from my editor.

“Do you have a ‘go’ bag? We'd love someone to get on a plane tonight and head to Greece,” the message read.

As a travel reporter at TPG, this type of inquiry isn't entirely uncommon. I’d taken spur-of-the-moment work trips to Miami and West Africa, for instance, before the coronavirus pandemic.

Putting aside my surprise, I hurried to pack a bag, look up flights and hotels and clean my apartment. I confirmed a sitter for my dog, Migo, located my passport and made sure I had my COVID-19 vaccination card. I was frazzled, but almost ready to hop on a plane to Greece.

Just minutes later, however, the trip was put on pause (and not just because I didn’t have my suitcase packed).

Here’s why we canceled the trip -- and why you might want to wait to travel to Greece, too.

Greece is open, but …

Residents of the United States, the European Union and the Schengen area are now permitted to enter Greece. But though the country is welcoming visitors, it doesn’t mean much else in the country is open at the moment, as we quickly found out.

Greece remains under a pretty strict lockdown -- in place until further notice -- to fight the ongoing coronavirus threat. The nation has recorded more than 320,000 positive COVID-19 cases and nearly 10,000 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.

A curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m, according to the U.S. State Department. Travel outside is only permitted for essential reasons, such as urgent appointments or medical concerns. And, right now, people who have to travel outside must send an SMS message announcing their departure before leaving home.

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Additionally, many businesses are still closed and activities are on hold; gatherings are banned; and restaurants are only open for delivery or takeout.

And even if I had been content to spend my first trip to Greece sitting at a hotel, ongoing testing requirements may have made the trip unfeasible.

I’ve been fully vaccinated since March, which makes traveling slightly less restrictive and confusing during the pandemic.

All travelers over the age of 5, for example, must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test to enter Greece — unless you've been vaccinated and it's been more than 14 days since your final dose.

However, I would have likely still needed a negative COVID-19 test to transit through certain countries en route to Greece.

For instance, I was initially looking at routing through Amsterdam (AMS). But travelers transiting through the Netherlands from high-risk countries (which includes the U.S.) must have a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.

And with only four hours before I'd need to head to the airport for my flight, there simply wasn’t enough time to get a COVID-19 test — even a costly rapid PCR test.

There was also the added complication of trying to find a testing facility once in Greece, as travelers flying back to the U.S. still need to have a negative test taken within three days before departure.

Basically, I might have spent all my time in Greece under lockdown at a hotel and searching for a COVID-19 test.

Bottom line

Travelers are understandably excited about Greece's reopening — myself included. But you’re planning to visit in the near future, know that you'll have a hard time finding things to do beyond your hotel or resort.

Restaurants remain closed, except for takeout, and not to mention the strict lockdown and curfew that remain in effect. I don't know about you, but that could make for a pretty stressful Greek vacation.

While Greece is, technically, open to travelers, if you’re hoping to immerse yourself in Greek culture right now, you may want to put your trip on hold for a little while longer.