The Corona Rules in Crete during the 2020 summer season.
For arrival in Crete, airport, transfers, car rental, hotel, beaches, swimming pools, restaurants, cafés and bars, shopping, museums and archaeological sites.
Status: June 16, 2020
Arrival on Crete
Table of Contents
The 2020 tourist season in Greece officially began on 15 June and international guests can already arrive at Athens and Thessaloniki airports without quarantine. From July 1, direct international flights will be allowed at all other airports in the country, so tourists will be able to fly directly into Crete.
However, all passengers are obliged to fill in a so-called exit card (PLF) until 31 August 2020. In this way they provide information about the airport of departure, their home address, the time of their stay in Greece and other details.
See: Protocol for arrivals in Greece.
However, random COVID-19 tests will be carried out on arriving travellers. They are obliged to wait for the result of the test in their assigned hotel or at their destination, which should normally be available by the next day. If the test is positive, a 14-day quarantine is ordered.
At Heraklion airport, 825 samples are to be taken every day, which will be tested in the clinical biology laboratory of the University of Crete. These will now be targeted tests based on special software that calculates which visitors are more likely to be carriers of the corona viruses.
At the airport
Plexiglas’ panels have been installed for additional protection in areas where contact with staff is required, such as ticket counters and information desks. To reduce waiting times, passengers are encouraged to use e-service options (e.g. web check-in) before departure for the airport and within the airport areas. Seating in all waiting areas has been rearranged to allow for safe minimum distances. The current recommendation is that every second seat should remain free. However, families or couples travelling together do not have to keep this distance.
Transfers
All transfer buses may only be used up to 50% of their capacity. All passengers must wear protective masks. All coaches must provide hand disinfectants at the entrance. Companies are recommended to install transparent protective partitions between the driver and passengers on the buses. In special tourist coaches, passengers may not board at bus stops until all passengers have left. It is recommended to clean surfaces and high contact points (e.g. handles) after each journey.
Guest transport is only permitted in private vehicles. Vehicles with up to 5 seats cannot be occupied by more than one passenger plus the driver. Accompanying persons with disabilities are excluded from this regulation. Vehicles with 6-7 seats can carry the driver plus two passengers, while vehicles with 8-9 seats can carry up to 3 passengers. The passenger limit does not apply if the passengers are parents with their children. The driver and passengers must all wear masks.
Wearing masks is also obligatory in taxis, although the same restrictions apply to the number of passengers.
Rental car
Rental cars are disinfected between uses by different customers. In addition, the number of passengers allowed is limited: In vehicles with up to five seats, only the driver and one passenger may sit in the vehicle. In vehicles with 6-7 seats, only the driver and two passengers are allowed. In vehicles with eight or nine seats, the driver may carry up to three passengers. These restrictions do not apply to families with children.
At the hotel
At the reception you may see a Plexiglas window, but this is at the discretion of the hotel management. Hand disinfectants are obligatory.
Among the further measures that the hotel has to accomplish, there is the disinfection of all cards and keys after each stay. Wherever possible, it is recommended to check in at an outdoor reception desk. The use of electronic alternatives for check-in and check-out, such as mobile concierge apps, is preferable, as is electronic payment at check-out. It is likely that all accounts, bills or receipts will be sent by e-mail. Cash is only accepted in exceptional circumstances.
Room cleaning will be less frequent during the stays this year. Towels and bed linen will only be changed on request of the guests.
Hotel owners have the choice between two cleaning methods: After the departure of a guest, the room can be cleaned as usual, but must then be kept closed for 24 hours until the next use. Alternatively, a thorough cleaning and disinfection with a steam cleaner, UV rays or other devices of this kind can be applied to all surfaces of the room and bathroom.
Hotel owners have been advised not to use decorative items such as cushions. Disposable plastic covers should be pulled over the remote controls of TVs and air conditioners. Upholstery materials must be cleaned with a steam jet cleaner at temperatures above 70 °C.
Beaches
Two sun loungers under different umbrellas may not be placed closer than 1.5 meters to each other.
It is compulsory and the user is responsible for placing a towel on the sunbeds. The staff of organized beaches and beach clubs is obliged to disinfect the sun loungers and chairs after each use. They must also regularly disinfect the sanitary facilities and post a cleaning schedule for official inspection.
Canteens and beach bars are run for take-away only and seating is not allowed. Customers queuing to be served must keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters. The sale of alcohol is currently still prohibited on the beaches.
Swimming Pools
The use of indoor swimming pools is forbidden until further notice. Opaque partitions are recommended for swimming pool showers so that people can wash thoroughly before entering and after leaving the water. Swimming pools are recommended to provide all necessary accessories (soap, shower gel, etc.) and antiseptic gel at the entrance of the showers.
Visiting restaurants, cafés and bars
Information signs are to indicate the hygiene rules and other safety measures that apply to all areas. Guests are encouraged to conduct electronic transactions. Hand gel will be available at the cash desks and, if the owner deems it necessary, a Plexiglas panel will be provided and markings will be placed on the floor to indicate safety distances for queuing.
Shopping
It is not excluded, especially when entering public buildings, to have the body temperature measured by a hand scanner.
Museums, archaeological sites, etc.
The museums will reopen from 15 June. Visitors must keep a distance of 2 meters between them. Museums can only use air conditioning systems where they operate in an open circuit with fresh air. Only a limited number of people will be allowed access every hour. The use of protective masks and alcohol-based antiseptic hand disinfectants is recommended.
Also, at archaeological sites only a limited number of visitors are allowed at the same time.
Where are masks mandatory ?
At the hairdresser, in shops and on all types of public transport. Basically, a minimum distance of 1.5 meters to other people should be maintained (even in queues) and masks are always recommended.
The fine for a missing mandatory mask is €150.
The European emergency number is 112, and for all COVID-19 related inquiries there is the number 1135.
All information without guarantee – the rules are subject to constant updates!
See also:
Information from the Greek Ministry of Health on Coronavirus in Greece (English)
Official Greek information site on coronavirus (Greek)
Protocol for arrivals in Greece.
Free Printable Information Posters and Signs for COVID-19
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Can you please explain how all inclusive hotel stays will work?