Thoughts of an autumn getaway in Europe stoke exciting, sometimes even romantic feelings, but you may be stuck watching films about travel within Europe on Netflix fo a while. European countries are headed back into national lockdowns with Germany and France now leading the way, putting major doubt on remaining 2020 Euro trips.
Both countries recently joined a growing list, announcing sweeping restrictions on dining, shopping, non essential movement, hotel stays and more, so here’s what you need to know today, about Euro trips planned for the near future.
European Lockdowns
There’s so many things in Europe you simply must see, but this may not be the time. With cases surging in France and Germany, both countries are heading into national lockdowns, which don’t just mean curbing the party, but also closing all restaurants, bars, galleries, hotels and more.
Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy and Spain each announced similar, but slightly less austere measures in recent weeks, with lengths varying from 15 days to indefinite. Basically, the continent is headed for lockdown and it’s just a matter of who else, and when.
Germany’s lockdown will begin November 2nd, lasting for at least one month, while the new lockdown in France will begin Friday, October 30th, and last until December 1st. According to officials, all hopes with the measures are on saving winter holidays.
Germany will also ban hotel stays for tourists, with hotels only allowed to open for essential business. In France, travel between regions will be limited, and people are told to stay at home except for 1 hour of allowed exercise per day.
“We think we will suffer a bit this month but by gritting our teeth with these restrictions, we’ll be able to breathe again in December,”
Giuseppe Conti, Prime Minister of Italy
Since restaurants, galleries, museums, shops and other non essential businesses are arguably some of the greatest reasons to travel in Europe, it may be time to pause that trip, at least until Christmas Markets in early December, or perhaps even early 2021 for a bit more safety.
What About The Rest Of Europe?
The question now is: what about the rest of Europe? The UK is experiencing fresh calls for lockdown, with similar case rises to those in Germany and France. With the lead of both nations, many other European nations are likely to follow.
If you’ve got a trip to Europe booked for November 2020, it may be worth a second look. But before you request the refund button, consider whether you’d be happy to travel later in the year.
Airlines, hotels and many travel companies face an existential threat, so if you’re in a comfortable enough place to keep the booking alive and don’t need the refund, a quick thought about leaving something to look forward to in your calendar may be quite helpful.
Is there anywhere left to go, if you miss the joy of travel too much, and need to escape? Quite a few African countries have reopened to international visitors, the Maldives is open to anyone with a negative covid-19 test, and Dubai is the same. Further afield, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America remain your best bets, for now.
C’est la vie.
You say Mexico may your best bet, but we were booked for Mexico November into December and BRitish Airways cancelled with the excuse that the WHO haven’t added it to their safe list