Germany travel guide: country reopens quarantine-free to vaccinated visitors

With high-profile cities, endless nature and romantic palaces, it's no wonder that Germany is among Europe's most-visited destinations.

Now, the country gets set to reclaim its place in the tourist rankings as it reopens to international travellers.

From Friday, Germany will welcome vaccinated international travellers with no need for quarantine.

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) confirmed the resumption of international tourism, with the united states opening to global travellers, including those from the UAE and over the GCC.

“Opening our borders to international visitors prior to the summer travel period is essential for the domestic tourism ecosystem and we anticipate Germany being recognised as a go-to travel destination this year,” said Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing of the German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries.

Who can visit Germany?
Germany currently welcomes citizens, nationals and residents from EU countries, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

From Sunday, it'll open to travellers from other territories including Albania, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, North Macedonia, Serbia, Taiwan and the US, with proof vaccination or a negative PCR test.

From Friday, vaccinated travellers from countries outside the EU, including those from the UAE and GCC, are welcome to go to Germany so long as they are not from the virus variant area. The list of virus variant areas is updated regularly, and will be on the Robert Koch website. By Sunday, the UAE isn't listed as a virus variant area.

Which vaccines are recognised in Germany?
Travellers hoping to take benefit of the new rules will need to have received both doses of a vaccination recognised and approved by the European Medicines Agency.

At present, this consists of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. The second dose of the vaccine will need to have been administered no less than 14 days before travelling to Germany.

For UAE residents vaccinated with Sinopharm, travel isn't yet open. However, in line with the Federal Ministry of the inside, Building and Community’s website, "vaccines that offer a similar degree of protection will be put into the list as soon as the required evaluations are completed".

What do I need to do before I go?
All visitors must register online before travelling, and upload proof vaccination to the website. Travellers should also print out and carry proof of their immunised status. Children who do not have a Covid-19 vaccination can enter with a negative PCR test result taken with the past 48 hours, and children under 6 are exempt.

Travellers should also talk with individual German federal states they intend to visit, as there will vary rules for people to follow just before arrival. A set of resources linking to convey regulations can be found here.

Which airlines are flying to Germany?
Etihad is operating flights to Germany from Abu Dhabi. The national airline of the UAE currently flies to both Munich and Frankfurt. Germany is also listed on the Abu Dhabi Green List, meaning no quarantine is necessary upon return.

From Dubai, travellers can fly with Emirates to Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich.

What can I see and do in Germany?
Germany's capital Berlin is the country's biggest city and is famed because of its history, art, museums, architecture and nightlife. In the south, Munich takes the crown as the Bavarian capital, supplying a quintessential city in the land of lederhosen and Oktoberfest.

Frankfurt is a significant travel hub, and the gleaming financial centre of Germany where you’ll find skyscrapers, historic buildings and a lively art and culture scene. In Hamburg, be prepared to benefit from the waterways - metropolis houses more bridges than Amsterdam and Venice combined.

Away from the big cities, explore the Rhine Valley, go to the country’s beaches, island-hop along the north-west coast, or trek over chalk cliffs and open heaths then go to the Unesco-listed Wadden Sea.