15 European destinations that are among the least affected by the coronavirus

Sophie-Claire HoellerJun 12, 2020, 00:54 IST

Portugal's Azores are often compared to Iceland or New Zealand in terms of beauty and isolation.Westend61/Getty

European Best Destinations (EBD), which works with local tourism offices to promote European travel, put together a list of what it deems the "safest" destinations on the continent for post-pandemic travel.
It selected destinations with low COVID-19 infection rates and that have implemented strict protocols on hygiene and social-distancing measures.
It also took into account how many hospital beds destinations have, choosing places that have more hospital beds per capita than other European countries.
While many travel restrictions within Europe have been lifted, nonessential travel is still not recommended in many places, such as in the US, where the Centers for Disease Control warns against it.

As countries around the world relax their lockdowns, many tourism-reliant economies have opened, or are planning to open their doors to travelers ASAP.

European countries in particular are opening borders, creating air bridges and travel bubbles (basically agreements between countries that allow their citizens to freely travel between them) and in some cases even offering incentives such as discounted flights and hotel stays to lure in tourists. Even Italy — which is among the hardest-hit European countries — is back in business, having reopened its borders to international tourists without any quarantine rules in place in early June.

European Best Destinations (EBD), which works with local tourism offices to "promote culture and tourism in Europe," has put together a list of what it deems the "safest" destinations on the continent for post-pandemic travel.

According to EBD, it picked "some of the destinations least affected by COVID-19" that it says have seen up 600 times fewer COVID-19 cases than more hard-hit European countries, as well as those destinations that have implemented strict protocols on hygiene and social-distancing measures, and that have a higher number of hospital beds per inhabitant than other European countries.

While many travel restrictions within Europe have been lifted, nonessential travel is still not recommended in many places, such as in the US, where the Centers for Disease Control warns against it. If you do choose to travel, it's best to check the CDC's travel recommendations for each country.

Keep scrolling to see some of EBD's best European destinations to visit when it is safe to do so. And keep in mind that these restrictions and reopenings are subject to change, as countries continue to monitor the pandemic.

Ancient churches, rugged mountains, and pristine water make Corfu, Greece, one of the most famous Greek isles.

Before becoming part of Greece in 1864, Corfu was under Venetian, French, and British rule. Shutterstock/Todoran Andrei

Preveza, Greece, which sits between the Ambracian Gulf and the Ionian Sea, is home to a well-known yacht harbor.

Preveza is located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. Shutterstock

Once home to the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, and Freud, Vienna, Austria's capital, has an artistic and intellectual history that can still be felt today.

Vienna is famous for its coffeehouse culture. Sylvain Sonnet/Getty

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is the perfect mix of hip and history, with winding cobblestone streets featuring medieval architecture at every turn.

Before 1936, Tbilisi was known as Tiflis. MiGol/Shutterstock

With the Black Sea and its front, and imposing mountain peaks at its back, Batumi's stunning scenery has made it one of Georgia's most popular summer destinations.

Turkish mountains are sometimes visible from Batumi. Shutterstock

Malta's capital, Valletta, was founded in the early 16th century and was called "one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world," by UNESCO.

Malta sits between Sicily and North Africa. FredP/Shutterstock

Cavtat is Croatia's southernmost resort: Sitting on a peninsula it's sandwiched between two gorgeous harbors, with plenty of promenades and beaches.

Cavtat is Croatia's southernmost resort town. Shutterstock

Zagreb, Croatia's capital, was once a medieval fortress, but its history dates all the way back to the Roman empire, which is evident in its narrow cobblestone streets, and many ancient towers and churches.

Zagreb is Croatia's largest city. Dreamer4787/Shutterstock

Zagreb, Croatia's capital, was once a medieval fortress, but its history dates all the way back to the Roman empire, which is evident in its narrow cobblestone streets, and many ancient towers and churches.

The volcanic Madeira Islands, a Portuguese archipelago, are a subtropical dream of colorful villages, lush vegetation, rugged mountains, and beautiful beaches.

The Madeira Islands consist of two inhabited islands — Madeira and Porto Santo —and two uninhabited groups of islands. Getty/Juergen Sack

Filled with hot springs, lush forests, and volcanic mountains, the Azores, Portugal's remote nine-island archipelago, is often compared to Iceland or New Zealand in terms of beauty and isolation.

Nine volcanic islands make up Portugal's Azores. Shutterstock/Dov Fuchs

Filled with hot springs, lush forests, and volcanic mountains, the Azores, Portugal's remote nine-island archipelago, is often compared to Iceland or New Zealand in terms of beauty and isolation.

Medieval villages sprawled amid endless plains, rolling hills, and rugged beaches make the Alentejo in Portugal an increasingly popular spot.

The Alentejo in Portugal is well-known for its wine-making. Shutterstock/inacio pires

Kotor in Montenegro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built between the 12th and 14th centuries that's home to winding cobblestone streets, fort-like walls, and medieval monuments.

Kotor sits on the Gulf of Kotor. Darko Vrcan/Shutterstock

Kotor in Montenegro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built between the 12th and 14th centuries that's home to winding cobblestone streets, fort-like walls, and medieval monuments.

Bohinj, Slovenia, is an outdoor lover's paradise, having been touted one of the best sustainable tourism destinations in Europe.

Slovenia was named the "most sustainable country on Earth" by National Geographic in 2017. Shutterstock

Once a wealthy Germanic walled citadel, Sibiu, Romania, is still home to walls from the 12th century, and its former grandeur shines through at every turn.

Sibiu was once known as Hermannstadt. Shutterstock

Warsaw, Poland's capital, has managed to perfectly blend its historical buildings with contemporary architecture, embracing its history while looking to the future.

Warsaw is Poland's largest city. Cesare Palma/Shutterstock

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15 European destinations that are among the least affected by the coronavirus

Ancient churches, rugged mountains, and pristine water make Corfu, Greece, one of the most famous Greek isles.

Preveza, Greece, which sits between the Ambracian Gulf and the Ionian Sea, is home to a well-known yacht harbor.

Once home to the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, and Freud, Vienna, Austria's capital, has an artistic and intellectual history that can still be felt today.

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is the perfect mix of hip and history, with winding cobblestone streets featuring medieval architecture at every turn.

With the Black Sea and its front, and imposing mountain peaks at its back, Batumi's stunning scenery has made it one of Georgia's most popular summer destinations.

Malta's capital, Valletta, was founded in the early 16th century and was called "one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world," by UNESCO.

Cavtat is Croatia's southernmost resort: Sitting on a peninsula it's sandwiched between two gorgeous harbors, with plenty of promenades and beaches.

Zagreb, Croatia's capital, was once a medieval fortress, but its history dates all the way back to the Roman empire, which is evident in its narrow cobblestone streets, and many ancient towers and churches.

The volcanic Madeira Islands, a Portuguese archipelago, are a subtropical dream of colorful villages, lush vegetation, rugged mountains, and beautiful beaches.

Filled with hot springs, lush forests, and volcanic mountains, the Azores, Portugal's remote nine-island archipelago, is often compared to Iceland or New Zealand in terms of beauty and isolation.

Medieval villages sprawled amid endless plains, rolling hills, and rugged beaches make the Alentejo in Portugal an increasingly popular spot.

Kotor in Montenegro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built between the 12th and 14th centuries that's home to winding cobblestone streets, fort-like walls, and medieval monuments.

Bohinj, Slovenia, is an outdoor lover's paradise, having been touted one of the best sustainable tourism destinations in Europe.

Once a wealthy Germanic walled citadel, Sibiu, Romania, is still home to walls from the 12th century, and its former grandeur shines through at every turn.

Warsaw, Poland's capital, has managed to perfectly blend its historical buildings with contemporary architecture, embracing its history while looking to the future.