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Which countries can I travel to from Spain this summer without restrictions?

If you’re based in Spain and you’re looking to travel abroad this summer, these are the countries which do not require a PCR test or quarantine for arrivals from Spain. 

Published: 31 May 2021 13:44 CEST
Updated: 5 June 2021 09:28 CEST
Which countries can I travel to from Spain this summer without restrictions?
Flying from Spain to Costa Rica without restrictions is currently possible. Photo: Fabio Fistarol/Unsplash

With the vaccine rollout gaining ground in many countries, including Spain, the possibility of going abroad on holiday without restrictions is increasing. 

Spain is developing its own ‘Covid passport’ to be launched in June 2021 which will work together with the EU’s Green Digital Certificate that is due in July, both of which will facilitate easier travel among member states who have either been vaccinated or provide a negative PCR test, the cost of the latter finally not covered by the bloc. 

Although PCR test requirements are usually justified, especially for some countries struggling with high Covid infection rates currently, the added cost of these can dissuade many from travelling to certain destinations, as can the requirement for quarantine. 

So if your intention is to go on holiday abroad to somewhere without or with very few restrictions, the following countries allow travellers from Spain to visit without the hardest Covid-related requirements. 

It’s worth noting that Spain is advising against travel abroad and that the country’s social security system would not cover any cost linked to hospitalisation if you were to fall ill abroad, so you have to check carefully what your private travel insurance would cover. 

“In the framework of the evolution of the Covid pandemic, every traveller faces the prospect of being affected by restrictions abroad  of any kind that impede or alter their freedom of movement,” writes Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whilst urging travellers to record their travel details on this page. 

Travel around Europe with fewer restrictions will also be undoubtedly easier once more people have been vaccinated and Covid passports are in place in July and August. 

Keep in mind as well that travel restrictions often change with short notice, that you should double-check with official sources before booking any plane tickets, that Spain will most likely require a PCR from you to return and that you should find out if there are also visa requirements. 

As things stand, these are the countries with the fewest restrictions for arrivals from Spain:

Albania: No PCR test or quarantine required but no direct flights from Spain to Albania.

Holiday travel from Spain to Albania without restrictions is currently possible. Photo: Yves Alarie/Unsplash

Andorra: The tiny principality on the border between Spain and France doesn’t have any restrictions for travellers from Spain.

Brazil: The South American nation doesn’t have restrictions for arrivals from Spain but its high infection rate, the Brazilian variant of the virus and recent protests against President Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic don’t make it the ideal destination for a holiday currently. Only nationals, residents and Schengen passengers in transit can fly back to Spain, as well as requiring a PCR before flying back. 

Bulgaria: The Eastern European nation has its own national classification of risk areas, hence travel restrictions for Bulgaria are not based on the common “EU Traffic Lights” map. Travellers from Spain who have been vaccinated at least 14 days before flying to Bulgaria can enter without restrictions as long as they prove it on their vaccination certificates. Those who haven’t received their full vaccine treatment have to take a Covid test 72 hours (PCR) or 48 hours (antigen test) before departure.

Costa Rica: the Central American nation has kept an open border policy for tourists for some time now and does not require travellers from Spain to get a PCR test or quarantine, the Costa Rican embassy confirms, only a health form. 

North Macedonia: The southeastern European country bordering Greece does not require a PCR or quarantine from arrivals from Spain but there are no direct flights available currently. 

Ohrid in North Macedonia, where travel from Spain without restrictions is possible now. Photo: Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

Mexico: Méjico has remained open to travellers despite its at times high weekly infection rate (currently 12 cases per 100,000 people according to Reuters) and has no requirement for quarantine or PCR for entry from Spain. Tourist resorts are open and do ask guests to fill in health forms. There are direct flights to Cancún and other parts of Mexico from Spain.

Montenegro: Vaccinated travellers who received their final dose seven days before travel can visit the Balkan nation without restrictions. For the rest of travellers from Spain a PCR test is required.

Dominican Republic: Travellers from Spain are not required to quarantine or take a Covid test before arrival. In fact, the Caribbean nation offers antigen tests to international visitors, at a very low cost. Check for the latest updates here. 

Cayo Levantado island in the Dominican Republic. Photo: VViktor from Pixabay

Romania: There are currently no quarantine or testing requirements in place for passengers arriving in Romania directly from Spain. You can check Romania’s latest list of high risk countries which have restrictions here; Spain is currently listed as “green”.

Switzerland: On May 31st, Swiss authorities eased entry restrictions for vaccinated and immune travellers from around the world. Find out more here. 

Tanzania: The African nation famed for its safari experiences has kept its borders open for the most part of the pandemic and doesn’t require any PCR or quarantine. There are however limited flights there.

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TRAVEL NEWS

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail operator and the GDL train drivers' union have reached a deal in a wage dispute that has caused months of crippling strikes in the country, the union said.

Published: 26 March 2024 09:55 CET
German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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