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‘Not an invitation to go there’: Germany urges against Mallorca holiday following lifting of travel warning

Germany's foreign minister on Wednesday urged his countrymen to think twice about rushing to Mallorca over the Easter holidays after the sun-soaked Spanish island was taken off the coronavirus risk list.

Published: 17 March 2021 17:45 CET
'Not an invitation to go there': Germany urges against Mallorca holiday following lifting of travel warning
A German woman with a suitcase strolls through Mallorca on Wednesday. Photo: DPA

The lifting of Berlin’s travel warning for the Balearic island has sparked a flurry of bookings from shutdown-weary Germans in recent days, with airlines laying on hundreds of extra flights to meet the surge in demand.

But Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the delisting of Mallorca was “not an invitation to go there”, especially considering Germany’s recent uptick in coronavirus cases, which has sparked warnings of a third wave.

“We have an increased incidence rate in Germany, and everyone is still called upon to do their part,” Maas told reporters in Berlin, with Easter school holidays due to begin in most German states from next weekend.

“Travel is one those things that leads to more contacts, and that’s why this is a decision that everyone has to make for themselves. But I hope citizens handle this responsibly.”

READ ALSO: ‘Germans are coming back’: Spaniards sceptical over return of tourists

Mallorca is one of the most popular holiday destinations among Germans, and is sometimes jokingly referred to as Germany’s 17th state.

Tourism giant TUI has said that it has received more bookings for Mallorca in recent days than in the same period in 2019, and would be doubling the number of its flights plying the route to the island to 300.

Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings on Wednesday said the extra 300 Easter holiday flights it had offered at the weekend were already sold out, and that it had added another 50 flights.

Other airlines including Lufthansa, Condor and Ryanair have also said they are increasing the number of flights.

READ ALSO: Spain braces for German Easter influx as flights boom

The updated travel advice means Germans no longer have to quarantine when they return home from Mallorca, or undergo mandatory testing.

Calls are growing however for returning travellers to be tested anyway, a suggestion Maas said “would be in everyone’s interest”.

Tourists arriving on the Spanish island must show a negative coronavirus test that is less than 72 hours old.

READ ALSO: Germany set to lift travel warning for parts of Spain and Portugal

Member comments

  1. Sadly, as the most visited destination for German tourism in the World, it is by default an invitation to go there. And will be treated as such up until the same nonsense as last year causes the Island to close everything down again and Germans to retest upon entry. Feeding the flames of Covid problems in other countries is how I would term it.

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ANDALUSIA

Eight cooler places to escape the summer heat in Spain’s Andalusia

Andalusia is one of Spain's hottest regions with July and August temperatures regularly hitting 40C or more, particularly in inland areas. If you're having an Andalusian summer, here are the places where it doesn't get as hot, one for each province.

Published: 25 July 2024 16:33 CEST
Eight cooler places to escape the summer heat in Spain's Andalusia

Segura de la Sierra, Jaén

Jaén is one of the toastiest provinces in Andalusia come summer, but thankfully there are a couple of places to get away from the worst of it. Some of the best places to head are surrounded by nature, particularly around natural parks. One of the coolest is Segura de la Sierra, located just north of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. The average temperature here is still 35C in August, but there should be plenty of shady spots to cool down. 

Photo: Marcial Salcedo/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
 

Cabra, Córdoba

The province of Córdoba not only the experiences some of the highest temperatures in Andalusia during summer, but also in the whole of Spain. Córdoba always features on national weather forecasts, with the mercury regularly exceeding 40C and often up to 45C. Located in the Guadalquivir River Basin, inland, away from the coast, means it doesn’t benefit from any cool sea breezes. The trick is to head to spots with a higher altitude such as Cabra, close to the Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas. 

Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

READ ALSO – Escape the heat: Eight places in Spain where it doesn’t get too hot in summer

Trevélez, Granada

The village of Trevélez is the highest village not only in Andalusia, but also in the whole of Spain – it’s altitude ensuring that it’s much cooler than the rest of the area. Located in the Alpujarras, close to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it lies at 1,400 metres above sea level. The average temperatures in July and August is 29C and 28C respectively. It also boasts cool mountain streams and lower breezy night time temperatures too. 

Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tolox, Málaga

Located along the coast, Málaga is already one of the coolest provinces in the region, thanks to cool air coming in from the Mediterranean, but it can still feel roasting during the height of August. If you’re looking for cooler temperatures inland, then you can’t beat the town of Tolox, north of Marbella, in the mountains close to National Park of Sierra de las Nieves. Heat levels here hover around 29C in August. 

Photo: Jacqueline Macou/Pixabay
 

Sierra de Grazalema, Cádiz

Cádiz, like Málaga, also benefits from having a coastline, meaning there are several places to escape near the beaches. Again, if you’re looking somewhere inland, it’s best to head into nature, where the trees and plants keep things a little cooler. The Sierra de Grazalema is a large natural park located west of Ronda, where you won’t suffer as much as other places in the province. Its famous white villages in the mountains are other spots to keep away from the heat. 

(Photo by Jorge Guerrero / AFP)

Cazorla, Jaén

Like Segura de la Sierra, also in Jaén, Cazorla is located near the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. The Sierra de Castril Natural Park is also within striking distance. It’s location means lots of shady trees, higher altitudes, as well as cooling streams and waterfalls. In fact, it’s very near here where you can find the source of the River Guadalquivir, which runs all the way to and through the city of Seville. 

Photo: Christopher Eden/Unsplash

Aracena, Huelva

Huelva also benefits from a cooler coastline, but also has a few places inland in which to hide out from the scorching summer heat. One of them is the municipality of Aracena, in the westernmost area of ​​Sierra Morena. It has mild summer temperatures averaging 26C, thanks to its location surround by oak and chestnut forests. Cave systems here, as well as waterfalls mean there are extra places that will provide a respite from the sun too. 

Photo: Pablo Rodríguez/Pexels

Cazalla de la Sierra, Seville

Similar to Córdoba, the province of Seville is known for having almost insufferable summer heat, also reaching up to 40C or more. While many try to escape the capital for the more refreshing spots on the coast, another option could be to head up into the mountains to keep cool. Cazalla de la Sierra is a small village situated in the Sierra Morena mountain range, offering lots of shady hiking routes close to water sources, from streams to waterfalls. 

Photo: Rafa Rivero/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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