Can you go on holiday to Europe this summer?

Talks are underway to decide whether UK citizens can holiday in the EU this summer

Author: Sophie ParsonsPublished 19th May 2021

International travel for leisure purposes is once again legal in the UK, however booking your summer holiday is still not as simple as pre-pandemic.

The UK has a traffic light system to indicate the countries which travellers can visit without having to quarantine, so it's important to check whether your holiday destination is green, amber or red before booking flights.

It doesn't end there however, as you then need to check whether the country is accepting UK visitors.

This is the question being debated by the EU at the moment: will UK holidaymakers be allowed to visit this summer?

Here's everything we know so far...

Can I visit the EU if I have had both my vaccines?

On Wednesday morning, EU ambassadors backed plans to allow UK visitors to travel to the EU for holidays this summer if they have received both doses of the vaccine.

However, this is currently only a recommendation and while it is likely to be passed, the policy stills needs to be signed off by ministers of member states.

What if I'm not vaccinated?

If you haven't received both doses of the vaccine, it is slightly more uncertain whether you will be able to holiday in EU countries this summer.

The EU is set to decide on Friday whether the UK can be added to the 'safe list'.

People from countries on the 'safe list' can travel to EU countries even if they are not vaccinated. Instead they are usually required to show evidence of a recent negative test.

Only eight countries currently feature on the EU's safe list, including New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Israel, which all have low case numbers of Covid-19.

Which EU countries are currently welcoming UK visitors?

Portugal and Greece are both currently welcoming holidaymakers from the UK despite other EU member states having banned British visitors.

However, while Portugal is on the green list, Greece is on the amber list meaning travellers would need to self isolate for ten days upon return.

Spain is among several countries prohibiting UK holidaymakers from entering due to a ban on leisure visits from outside the EU.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.