Corona: where to go during the autumn break?

Lisa Weidner studied German and sociology and completed several journalistic internships. She is a volunteer at Hubert Burda Media Verlag and writes for the "Meine Familie und Ich" magazine and on nutrition and health topics.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

As soon as the main travel season is over, the autumn holidays are already on in some federal states. But if you want to travel, you should inform yourself well. Our overview shows what needs to be considered with increasing numbers of infections and entry regulations.

Laze on the beach in the autumn sun or go hiking in the Alps: the planning for the autumn vacation has long since started. There are only four weeks left until the first federal states start their vacation on October 5, with Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein. The others will follow by the end of October.

But what is even possible on vacation? While the corona situation in Germany is comparatively relaxed, some European holiday countries are arming themselves with new rules and requirements in view of the increasing number of infections. An overview of which travel destinations are in demand and what needs to be considered in the countries:

Where is the greatest demand?

Despite Corona, Spain is in demand as a travel destination. "There are still a lot of bookings," says the world's largest travel company Tui in Hanover. The Canary Islands should also be reopened soon. Greece, with a focus on Crete, Corfu and Rhodes, is also currently popular. The tourism experts also hope that many customers will also book last-minute vacations.

However, Tui recorded the greatest increase in autumn for trips within Germany. "Many people have booked hiking or sports holidays at home - or skipped summer and went straight into autumn."

Which countries are still considered a risk area?

If you want to go abroad, you should take a look at the list of risk areas before leaving. There it is updated again and again which countries are considered risk areas for German vacationers - with a corresponding quarantine obligation on return. "A country is no longer classified as a risk area if there is a stable epidemiological trend below the mark of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants per week," explains the Ministry of Health. You can read more about this in our article "Corona: Travel advice or risk area?".

How is the situation in Spain?

Spain is still a risk area. At the weekend, the island also suffered a severe setback: the number of infections that initially raised hopes for tourists to return from Germany on Mallorca turned out to be wrong. The fault was an IT breakdown, due to which very low numbers of infections had been reported for the Balearic Islands for days.

The Canary Islands, which Berlin was the last region in Spain to be put on the "black list" of areas with a travel warning, are still struggling with numbers between 80 and 90 infections. The Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya announced that negotiations had been started with Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavian countries on the establishment of so-called security corridors to the islands in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. One will "inevitably have to find ways to live with the pandemic".

What about a vacation in Italy?

After very low numbers of infections in June and July, the number of corona cases in Italy has recently risen again. Italy does not have as many newly infected people as Spain or France, for example, but according to the Ministry of Health, the numbers have been rising steadily on average for six weeks.

In Italy, there are still rules such as a mask requirement on public transport and at night in squares. In contrast, there are no entry restrictions for most EU countries. Since Monday, the popular holiday island of Sardinia has been required to show a negative corona test upon arrival or to be tested upon arrival.

Current status in Greece and Cyprus

In contrast to other destinations, Greece and Cyprus continue to have low corona numbers. Entry from Germany is permitted, but travelers must register on the website at least 48 hours before the start of their journey and state where they are coming from. In addition, those arriving at airports and ports are randomly subjected to corona tests. In both countries, it is compulsory to wear a mask in closed rooms - such as banks or supermarkets. In more frequented regions, however, the rules can also be tightened: In Athens and Thessaloniki or on Crete, masking is mandatory even outdoors. Bars and restaurants have to close there at midnight.

Switzerland is adapting entry regulations

In view of the increasing number of cases, Switzerland has readjusted its entry regulations. Now travelers from 50 countries and regions around the world have to be in a ten-day quarantine. Since Monday, this has also included the Austrian state of Vienna. The quarantine requirement cannot be lifted with a negative PCR test. Those who come from Germany have not yet been affected by the restrictions.

If the number of cases continues to rise, people from the regions along the Swiss border can, as an exception, be exempted from the obligation to quarantine. In Switzerland itself, the number of corona infections has been climbing again for a few weeks. More and more cities are introducing a mask requirement.

In Austria, it is again mandatory to wear a mask in shops

In the Alpine republic, the number of new infections has recently risen dramatically. That is why it has been mandatory to wear a mask in shops across the country since Monday. The conditions for indoor and outdoor events have also been tightened significantly. The rules for entry and transit from Germany are not affected by the new measures.

It is possible without any problems. Only those who have been in a region that is considered to be a corona risk area in Austria in the ten days before must prove a negative PCR test or be in quarantine for entry with a stay. Random checks are carried out at the borders with Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. (lw / dpa)

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