No matter what happens in the world, the beach season begins as scheduled. And although not all borders are open yet, there are many destinations where you can go to the sea coast right now. We have made a selection of resorts that welcome Russian tourists with minimal difficulties. Choose!
Cyprus
How to get there: you can fly from Moscow to Larnaca either by direct flight or with a transfer. The price for round-trip tickets starts from 30,000 rubles*.
Entry rules: tourists with a vaccination certificate are exempt from PCR tests and quarantine. If you have not yet been vaccinated, you will have to be tested for COVID-19 twice: no earlier than 72 hours before departure and immediately upon arrival. Russian citizens also need a visa, which can be issued online for free.
Where to live: now, due to the lack of a large flow of tourists, housing can be booked at affordable prices. A night in the three-star Sun Hall Beach Hotel Apartments in Larnaca will cost approximately 4,800 rubles*.
What to watch: The most popular resorts in Cyprus are Paphos, Ayia Napa, Larnaca and Limassol. If you want to escape the heat, head to Troodos, a mountain range home to the Kykkos Monastery, ancient churches, wineries in small villages and Cypriot mouflons. In addition, it is worth visiting ancient Kourion with ancient ruins, and also visiting Petra tou Romiou – the place where, according to legend, the goddess Aphrodite was born, emerging from the foam of the sea.
Greece
How to get there: from Moscow there are many direct flights to Athens and Thessaloniki, and there are also connecting options. Tickets in June can be found from 30,000 rubles* round trip.
Entry rules: the country accepts, without certificates or quarantine, both vaccinated travelers and those who have previously had coronavirus confirmed (with a positive PCR test done 15–180 days before arrival). Tourists without vaccination will have to provide a negative PCR test taken no later than 72 hours before arriving in the country. In addition, Russian citizens need a Schengen visa to visit Greece.
Where to live: The most prosperous areas of Athens are those surrounding the Acropolis. Here you can stay at the Acropolis Hill Hotel. Price per room – from 6000 rubles per night*.
What to see: In the capital, the first thing to do is visit the Acropolis and Parthenon, stroll through the Plaka area and watch the sunset at Cape Sounion. Then you can go explore the islands. In Crete, be sure to see the ancient Knossos Palace, the Koules fortress and the town of Rethymnon, and in Rhodes – the Valley of the Butterflies and the architectural reserve on Mount Filerimos.
Croatia
How to get there: You can get to seaside Dubrovnik with a transfer. Ticket price – from 30,000 rubles per person round trip*.
Entry rules: Vaccinated Russian tourists can freely visit the country after two weeks have passed since receiving the second dose of the drug. If there is no vaccine yet, you must take a PCR test 48 hours before arriving in the country. A certificate about a previous illness is also suitable. Before departure you will also need to fill out a special form.
Where to live:In Dubrovnik, tourists are ready to receive both popular hotels and comfortable, but quite budget ones. For example, a night in the four-star Hotel Lapad overlooking Gruz harbor in June can be spent for 8,000 rubles, and in the three-star Guesthouse Home Sweet Home you can stay for 4,500 rubles*.
What to see: In addition to luxurious beaches, you can find real architectural masterpieces here: Dominican and Franciscan monasteries, the Sponza Palace, and the Church of St. Blaise. Connoisseurs of absolute freedom should look at the small island of Koversada, which is considered one of the world centers of nudism.
Montenegro
How to get there: You can fly to Tivat with transfers, for example, in Belgrade. The price of round-trip tickets is at least 33,000 rubles*.
Entry rules: To visit Montenegro, tourists from Russia do not need anything: neither PCR, nor quarantine, nor the presence of a vaccine.
Where to live: Villa Lastva Apartments – cozy apartments with sea views. There are cafes and restaurants serving local cuisine nearby, and the embankment is a 10-minute walk away. Cost per day – from 3200 rubles*.
What to watch:From Tivat it is convenient to go on a short trip around the Bay of Kotor. It’s worth living in Budva for at least a few days to have a good time walking around the old town and relaxing on the uncrowded beaches of St. Nicholas Island. Also a must-see is Kotor, a fortified city with medieval buildings and castles. In addition to sea beaches, it is impossible to imagine a trip to Montenegro without mountains and lakes. Everything can be found at once in national parks: Durmitor, Lake Skadar and Biogradska Gora.
Albania
How to get there: There are also no direct flights from Russia to Albania yet. You can fly from Moscow to Tirana with a transfer in Belgrade. For a ticket you will have to pay about 30,000 rubles*.
Entry rules: the country has lifted all entry restrictions for tourists from Russia – you can come without PCR tests and a visa.
Where to live: Hotel Nertili is located in the famous resort of Saranda. Accommodation will cost 3800 rubles per night*.
What to watch: The best seaside resorts in Albania: Durres, 33 km from Tirana, Saranda on the Ionian Sea and Shengjin, a long sandy beach washed by the Adriatic Sea. If you get tired of relaxing on numerous beaches, go to Shkoder – one of the most ancient towns in Europe. Visit the Rozafi fortress and the Lead Mosque, built by the Illyrians in the 4th century. Take a walk along the arched Mes Bridge and be sure to look at the surface of Lake Ohrid, the deepest in the Balkans. For natural beauty, go to Logara National Park at an altitude of 2018 meters above sea level. In addition, Berat deserves attention, which is also called the “city of a thousand windows” and is very reminiscent of the Italian Cinque Terre.
Morocco
How to get there: From Moscow you can fly to Casablanca; Aeroflot launches flights to this city in June. You will spend a little over six hours on the way.
Entry rules: You will need to present a negative PCR test result taken no earlier than 72 hours before departure. You will also need a voucher or hotel reservation, but Russians do not need a visa.
Where to live: The five-star Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca in the center near the medina is an ideal accommodation option. From here it is convenient to get to the city center and to the ocean. Price – from 4800 per night*. A more budget option is the three-star Kyriad Residence Casablanca (from 3,900 rubles per night).
What to see: most of Casablanca’s beaches are artificial. Among them, Ain Diab and the city beach near the Corniche, which is reached by the winding streets of the old city, deserve special attention. In between swims, appreciate the grandeur of the Hassan II Mosque, located on a platform right in the ocean. Its walls are made of colored marble, and the roof is retractable. If you’re lucky, stroll through the many halls of the Mahkama du Pasha Palace and appreciate the luxurious Moroccan decoration. Official state receptions are held here, so it is not always open to tourists. And you can hide from the heat in the Arab League Park with free 24-hour admission. On its territory there are also attractions and the Sacré-Coeur Catholic Cathedral.
*Prices valid at time of publication
Photos: unsplash.com
