France

France has been under a strict nighttime curfew since December 2020 and although the country is now gradually reopening, restrictions remain. 

Here’s a brief rundown, with key dates over the next couple of months.

May 19th – the start hour of the daily curfew moves from 7pm to 9pm, as restaurants and cafés reopen their terraces for the first time since October 2020. The finish time remains at 6am.

June 9th – curfew moves back to 11pm-6am if the health situation allows.

June 30th – Nighttime curfew is scrapped altogether if the health situation allows.

For individuals, being out during curfew hours in France is banned, barring certain exceptions – such as work, or urgent family reasons. A completed attestation or permission form is required for each trip out after curfew. The form is available on the Tousanticovid app or HERE

Anyone caught outside during curfew hours without good reason could face a fine of €135 for the first offence, rising to €200 for a second offence and maximum of €3,750 and a six-month jail term for three offences within 30 days.

Check The Local France for regularly updated information.

Spain

Spain’s state of alarm ended, and a national 10pm curfew was lifted, on May 9th – leading to the bizarre spectacle of police moving people on at 10pm on May 8th and allowing them back out two hours later, when the ban on overnight movement was lifted. 

But while curfews and border closures have been abolished in most regions, there are still some restrictions in place – including the use of masks in all regions. 

You can read a rundown of different Covid-19 rules in Spain’s regions here

Check The Local Spain for regularly updated information.

Italy

On May 17th Italy approved a new curfew allowing people to circulate in the evenings one hour longer after the country saw its lowest coronavirus deaths in months.

Italy has scrapped quarantine requirements for visitors from the European Union, Britain and Israel who test negative for coronavirus.

Under rules that came into force from Sunday, May 16th, Italy will extend so-called “Covid-free” flights, currently in place to and from the United States, to Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

But what visitors can expect when they get to Italy remains unanswered. 

and a mask-wearing requirement in public, indoors and outdoors. Though some things are expected to change, it seems likely restrictions will be tougher than they were in summer 2020.

Wearing a mask, sanitising your hands and keeping distanced from others are almost certain to remain required throughout the summer.

Check The Local Italy for regularly updated information.

Austria

Austria’s nighttime curfew from 8pm to 6am ended at midnight on May 15th, having been in place since December. 

Restaurants, hotels, schools, sport, events and swimming pools in Austria reopen on May 19th – with strict rules in place and an early closing time of 10pm which will remain in place for the foreseeable future.  Entry rules for EU travellers will also change. 

Special measures set to be in place this summer include an FFP2 mask requirement in all public indoor areas, such as public transport, in museums, shops, and on cable cars. 

For such as restaurants, cinemas, hotels or theatres where large numbers of people congregate, a so-called “entry test” will be required. You will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test, a vaccination, or recent recovery from Covid.

Check The Local Austria for regularly updated information.

Denmark

Denmark moved into the third phase of lifting travel restrictions on Friday, May 14th, meaning tourists from the EU and Schengen countries can now enter the country. 

Travellers from “yellow” countries outside the EU, including the UK, also no longer need a “worthy purpose”, as the country opens up for summer tourists.

Gyms, theatres and cinemas reopened on May 7th thanks to a new round of Covid-19 restriction easing in Denmark and its health pass – called a “corona pass”.

There is no general curfew in place, but cafes, bars and restaurants must stop service at 10pm and establishments must be closed from 11pm until 5am.

Check The Local Denmark for regularly updated information.

Germany

As a federal state, Germany’s rules on restrictions are different from state to state, so it is worthwhile checking the rules in the region you are planning to visit before you travel. 

READ ALSO: Germany eases quarantine rules with eye on summer travel

In April, it had introduced national “emergency brake” rules for areas with high Covid-19 rates. If the number of new infections per 100,000 residents in a rolling seven-day period rises above 100 in a city or district for three days in a row, measures including local lockdowns and overnight curfews must be applied.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about the latest rules on travel to and from Germany

A night-time curfew would be introduced between 10pm and 5am in areas with an incidence above 100 under the rules. Some of these may still be in effect in early summer, though the good news is coronavirus rates are falling in Germany.

Essential shops like supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies remain open. In areas with a 7-day incidence of 100, they will have to close at 10pm.

Check The Local Germany for regularly updated information

Norway

Covid-19 measures in Norway are broken down into a mixture of local and national restrictions and recommendations.

Although there’s no national curfew, after the government scrapped plans to introduce legislation permitting their use in February, all municipalities in the country must adhere to national rules. 

Additionally, they can also introduce and enforce local rules such as curfews or alcohol bans. It’s worth checking the rules in the municipality where you are travelling to, but in general bars and restaurants can only serve alcohol up to 10pm although this may be relaxed further in the coming weeks.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg was forced to cancel a May 17th speech in Bergen because of coronavirus restrictions in her home municipality, Oslo. She had been fined in April for breaking national Covid-19 rules.

Check The Local Norway for regularly updated information.

Sweden

Sweden never fully locked down during the pandemic, but some restrictions have been imposed at various points in the past year. 

The country’s Public Health Agency has floated a plan for how Sweden should adapt its coronavirus restrictions. Among its proposals are that – from June 1st – restaurants, bars and pubs will be able to open until 10.30pm, two hours later than the current closing time of 8.30pm. 

Check The Local Sweden for regularly updated information.

Switzerland

Switzerland has decided to further wind back coronavirus restrictions – including allowing restaurants to serve food indoors and letting larger events take place – from May 31st. 

Similar to Sweden, there is no current nationwide coronavirus curfew in place, but restaurants and take aways must be closed between 11pm and 6am. 

Cantons may have additional cantonal specific measures. You will find a collection of links to canton-by-canton information sites at www.ch.ch

Check The Local Switzerland for regularly updated information.

Greece

Greece has recently lifted most of its restrictions on movement, and has declared “we are putting the lockdown behind us” as it looks to welcome tourists for the summer – but a curfew remains in place between 12.30am and 5am.

Portugal

The Portuguese government has extended its state of calamity until May 30th – though tourists are allowed to visit, which is good news for English football fans planning to head to the Champions Cup final.

General rules include cafés, restaurants and events closing at 10.30pm, and retail stores closed at 9pm on weekdays and 7pm on weekends and holidays.

Restrictions for the entire country include compulsory face masks in enclosed public spaces as well as in crowded outdoor spaces.

Ireland

There’s no overnight curfew in Ireland, but other strict measures have limited travel. 

As of this week, however, unrestricted county-to-county travel returned, hairdressers’ and churches reopened and sports training started up again. From next week, non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen.

From June 2nd, hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation will reopen and guests will be free to use leisure facilities, indoor dining and bar services.

Outdoor service will start up in bars and restaurants with safety measures in place from June 7th.

At the end of June, the government will consider allowing indoor dining at restaurants along with the reopening of bars, nightclubs and casinos.

UK

There is no general overnight curfew in place, and on May 17th restrictions were eased further including the reopening of indoor dining and drinking areas and larger outside events – as reported here by the BBC.