Where to spend your vacation: six foreign seaside resorts available to Russians

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where to spend your vacation six foreign seaside resorts available to russians 61b14e053ef2e 2

Cyprus

Whatever happens in the world, the beach season starts on schedule. And although not all borders are open yet, there are many directions where you can go to the sea coast right now. We made a selection of resorts where Russian tourists are received with minimal difficulties. Take your pick!

Cyprus

How to get there: You can fly from Moscow to Larnaca both on a direct flight and with a transfer. The price for tickets in both directions starts from 30,000 rubles *.

Entry rules: tourists with a vaccination certificate are exempt from PCR tests and quarantine. If the vaccination has not yet been done, you will have to be tested for COVID-19 twice: no earlier than 72 hours before departure and immediately upon arrival. Also, Russian citizens need a visa, which is issued online for free.

Where to live: now, due to the lack of a large flow of tourists, accommodation can be booked at affordable prices. A night in the three-star Sun Hall Beach Hotel Apartments in Larnaca will cost about 4,800 rubles *.

What to see: The most popular resorts in Cyprus are Paphos, Ayia Napa, Larnaca and Limassol. If you want to hide from the heat, go to Troodos – a mountain range where the Kykkos Monastery, ancient churches, wineries in small villages and Cypriot mouflons are found. In addition, it is worth exploring the ancient Kourion with ancient ruins, as well as visiting Petra tou Romiou – the place where, according to legend, the goddess Aphrodite was born, emerging from the foam of the sea.

Greece

Greece

How to get there: There are many direct flights from Moscow to Athens and Thessaloniki, there are also options with connecting. Tickets in June can be found from 30,000 rubles * in both directions.

Rules of entry: the country accepts both vaccinated travelers and those who have confirmed a previously transferred coronavirus (positive PCR test done 15-180 days before arrival) without certificates and quarantine. 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 that surround 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 to visit the Acropolis and the Parthenon, walk around the Plaka area and watch the sunset at Cape Sounion. Then you can go to explore the islands. In Crete, be sure to visit the ancient palace of Knossos, the Koules fortress and the town of Rethymno, and in Rhodes – the Valley of the Butterflies and the architectural reserve on Mount Filerimos.

Croatia

Croatia

How to get there: Seaside Dubrovnik can be reached 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 the second dose of the drug. If there is no vaccine yet, a PCR test must be taken 48 hours before arrival in the country. A certificate of a previous illness is also suitable. You will also need to fill out a special form before departure.

Where to live: in Dubrovnik, tourists are ready to receive both popular hotels and comfortable, but quite budgetary ones. For example, a night in the four-star Hotel Lapad overlooking the 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 magnificent beaches, here you can find real architectural masterpieces: the Dominican and Franciscan monasteries, the Sponza Palace, and the Church of St. Blasius. Connoisseurs of absolute freedom should look at the small island of Koversada, which is considered one of the world’s centers of nudism.

Montenegro

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: tourists from Russia do not need anything to visit Montenegro: no PCR, no quarantine, no vaccine.

Where to live: Villa Lastva Apartments – cozy apartments overlooking the sea. Nearby there are cafes and restaurants with local cuisine, and the promenade can be reached in 10 minutes. Cost per day – from 3200 rubles *.

What to see: from Tivat it is convenient to go on a short trip along the Boka Kotorska Bay. It is worth at least a few days to live in Budva in order to walk around the old town and relax on the uncrowded beaches of St. Nicholas Island. Also a must to visit is Kotor – a walled city with medieval buildings and castles. In addition to sea beaches, it is impossible to imagine a trip to Montenegro without mountains and lakes. You can find everything at once in the national parks: Durmitor, Skadar Lake and Biogradska Gora.

Albania

Albania

How to get there: there are no direct flights from Russia to Albania yet. You can fly from Moscow to Tirana with a transfer in Belgrade. You will have to pay about 30,000 rubles for a ticket *.

Rules of entry: the country has removed all restrictions on entry 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 see: The best seaside resorts in Albania: Durres, 33 km from Tirana, Saranda on the Ionian Sea and Shenjin, a long sandy beach washed by the Adriatic Sea. If you get tired of relaxing on the numerous beaches, go to Shkoder – one of the most ancient towns in Europe. Explore the 4th century Illyrian Fortress of Rozafi and the Lead Mosque Take a walk across the Mesh arch bridge and be sure to take a look at the surface of Lake Ohrid, the deepest in the Balkans. For natural beauty, drive 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

Morocco

How to get there: You can fly from Moscow to Casablanca, in June Aeroflot launches flights to this city … You will spend a little over six hours on the way.

Rules of Entry: You will need to present a negative PCR test result 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 the ideal accommodation option. It is convenient to get to both the city center and the ocean from here. Price – from 4800 per night *. A more budget option is the three-star Kyriad Residence Casablanca (from 3900 rubles per night).

What to see: Most of Casablanca’s beaches are artificial. Among them, Ain Diab and the city beach at the Corniche, to which the winding streets of the old city lead, deserve special attention. In between swimming, 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 expandable. If you’re lucky, walk through the many halls of the Mahkama du Pasha Palace and appreciate the sumptuous Moroccan décor. Official state receptions are held here, so it is not always open for tourists. And you can hide from the heat in the park of the League of Arab States with free round-the-clock admission. It also houses attractions and the Sacre Coeur Catholic Cathedral.