europe reopens!

It was announced, today, that the EU will reopen to vaccinated travelers from the United States. That is very good news. As the most popular destination for international travel, the reopening of Europe is truly a watershed moment in the travel industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

However…

While the announcement yesterday is the clearest sign yet that Americans can return to Europe this summer, there are details yet to be announced. For instance, each country is allowed its own timing for reopening, and each individual country may still decide to have restrictions on allowing non-vaccinated but tested travelers (who may or may not have to quarantine) to enter.

Bottom line = it’s complicated. Also, since Europe has only vaccinated 16% of their population (compared to nearly 50% in the US), if you travel to Europe in the short term, you can still expect masks, curfews, dining capacity limits, and restrictions on intercountry travel.

So, while you might be able to go to Paris, right now, it might not be the experience that you expect.

On the other hand, if you want to wander through St. Mark’s Square without throngs of tourists, this might be the best time to visit those “overtouristed” destinations, while they’re still relatively quiet.

Still, traveling to Europe this summer is going to be a challenge. You’ll need to navigate the individual country restrictions. You have to understand the documentation requirements (“Green Certificates”). And we didn’t even mention the various airline protocols (for instance, only Delta is flying to Italy right now). But if you want to go—we want to send you. And we can sort through all of that, so that you’re able to travel safely, and without undue hassle.