The Holiday Extras Green Green Green list
Latest update: June 25. The latest green list announcement added 16 territories, and our Green Green Green list now contains all of the places that, as far as we know, it's possible to visit for a hassle-free holiday.
How do we work out who makes the Green Green Green list? See below for details!
1. No quarantine on return (the UK green list)
On the government's green list is an - initially quite short - group of countries which we can travel to without self-isolating when we get back*.
2. The destination welcomes UK holidaymakers
But that green list doesn't tell us whether those green countries will let us in for a holiday at the other end. It's no good having New Zealand on the green list (it is) if they won't let us in (they really won't). So we need to know two things. Is it green at this end? And is it green at that end too? So for two greens, the country has to be open at the other end for a hassle-free holiday (ie without long-term quarantine on arrival or restrictions on movement so onerous as to make a holiday impossible).
3. Flights are available
Finally, you need to be able to get there. Some countries have closed off flights from the UK, or can only be reached via a connecting flight, and if the connecting airports are on the red or orange lists, or closed to visitors, you won't be able to get to or from your destination easily and without quarantining back home. Much of the Caribbean, for example, is normally reached via connections in the USA - which if it's still closed, effectively closes off Caribbean islands without direct flights as well.
So for a hassle-free holiday, what you really need is a country that score green on all three. Green to go, green to come back, green to fly there. This is the Green Green Green list.
The Green Green Green list
Antigua and Barbuda
Open now No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
Several of the most popular islands in the Caribbean are open already for visitors willing to take a test and spend their entire holiday at a government-certified resort. Some might find the latter provision restrictive, but since the resorts include not only some of the most lavish beachside hotels on earth but the option of spending your holiday on a boat, the options are actually pretty inviting. If you want to wander out and mingle with the locals that's not currently an option - if you want to enjoy the blue waters, white sands and five-star service of a Caribbean beach resort for a week or two, take a test and you're in.
Balearics (Spain)
Open No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
The Balearic islands - Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza being the most famous holiday hotspots - are currently the only part of Spain on the green list (from June 30) so are likely to see an influx of British visitors. The islands always wanted to be the first place to test out vaccine passports once travel between the UK and the EU resumed, and with a long tradition of looking after British guests you'll feel right at home on these wonderful Spanish islands.
From approximately Friday July 2 you'll need proof of vaccination or recovery, or a negative Covid test, to visit, just like everywhere else.
Barbados
Open No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
Barbados is a marginal inclusion on the Green Green Green list since vaccinated travellers need to quarantine for 24 hours while they wait for a test result and unvaccinated travellers 48 hours. Still, if you're staying for a couple of weeks and your heart's set on Barbados you might consider it worth the wait, and there's the considerable benefit that from June 30 you won't have to quarantine when you come back home.
The Faroe Islands
Open No quarantine on return Flights and ferries available
The Faroe Islands are part of Denmark, which recently updated its rules to allow vaccinated UK travellers in. The Faroe Islands have been on the green list since there's been one, so now Denmark is open, you're free to visit for a holiday.
Gibraltar
Open to UK visitors No quarantine expected on return Direct flights available
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory just off the coast of Spain. It enjoys a combination of North African weather (so much so that the island boasts Europe's only indigenous monkeys!) and a largely British ex-pat culture and lifestyle, making it a great spot for a sunny but familiar holiday. Gibraltar has also vaccinated its entire adult population, so is largely Covid-free. The island is open to vaccinated UK visitors so long as they have not been outside Gibraltar's green list in the last 14 days (currently the same as the UK's green list, plus Spain) and book a free Covid test on arrival on the island; or to unvaccinated visitors who complete a negative Covid test before they fly.
Guernsey
Open to fully-vaccinated UK visitors No quarantine or test on return Flights and ferries available
Like Jersey and Ireland, Guernsey is part of the Common Travel Area so UK visitors my come and, importantly, return without even the green list tests.
Vaccinated adults, and children under 12 travelling with them, can simply enter Guernsey for a holiday.
Children 12-18 must take a test and await its results beforen they can head out into Guernsey.
All of which makes Guernsey a superbly easy place to get in and out of
Iceland
Open now to fully vaccinated UK travellers No quarantine expected on return Direct flights available
With the lowest Covid rates in Europe, Iceland was a shoe-in even for the shorter-than-expected green list. It's already open to fully-vaccinated travellers (though you'd need to prove you've had the vaccine - you can use the NHS app), as well as anyone who can prove they have recovered from the virus. There's still a brief quarantine period while a negative tests comes back though, normally 24 hours, so for the moment Iceland is better suited to a week or two than a long weekend. With flights from London taking less than four hours to Reykjavik, if you've had both jabs Iceland could therefore be a great spot for your first post-lockdown break.
Ireland
Open now to travellers from Northern Ireland No quarantine or test on return Flights, ferries and overland crossings available
Ireland is an exception to the normal green list rules. It isn't on the green list, but it doesn't need to be - as part of the Common Travel Area, an agreement that predates not just Brexit but the EU, travellers from the UK can return from Ireland without even a test. Coming in from Northern Ireland is hassle-free; you can just cross the border, so long as you haven't been overseas in the past 14 days. Coming in from the rest of the UK still requires a test followed by a period of isolation, making holidays impractical - but Ireland is opening up to the rest of Europe in July so it can't be long until it's possible to head over there for a holiday from the rest of the UK.
Israel
Open to vaccinated tour groups. FCDO advises against travel to some areas No quarantine on return Direct flights available
With one of the most successful vaccination programmes in the world, and travel corridor deals already signed with Greece and Cyprus, Israel is a natural partner for the UK with our comparably world-beating vaccination roll-out. Currently only open to vaccinated tour groups (unless you're willing to quarantine), Israel is still a feasible holiday destination if you're happy to join a tour.
There is also an ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces. The UK government's FCDO advises against travelling to parts of Israel for that reason and we advise travellers to follow the FCDO's steer.
Jersey
Open to fully-vaccinated UK visitors No quarantine or test on return Flights and ferries available
Jersey is a second exception to the normal green list rules - like Ireland, as part of the Common Travel Area, travellers from the UK are free to return from Jersey without even a test, making it at least as good as a green list destination without actually having to be on that list.
Jersey reopened to UK visitors on May 28, but with some complications. Jersey categorises the whole of the UK as red now, which means fully vaccinated arrivals must take a (free) test and isolate unti they get their results (normally 12 hours). No great hardship, therefore, especially if you arrive a little before bedtime and wake up to your negative results. Jersey is probably unsuitable for most holidays for unvaccinated travellers though - they need to isolate for 10 days on arrival.
See the Jersey travel website for more details.
Madeira (Portugal)
Open No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
Madeira brings Portugal, at least in part, back onto the green list - but it's a great part. Much like the ever-popular Canaries, Madeira combines European facilities with North African weather - a great combination any time of year.
To board a plane to Madeira, you'll need a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before boarding, and to fill in the local passenger locator form. While mainland Portugal requires fully vaccination or quarantine from June 28, at time of writing Madeira still does not.
Malta
Open No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
Malta is open to fully-vaccinated British travellers, and from June 30 will accept the NHS Covid pass or app as proof of vaccination. From June 30 Malta requires unvaccinated British arrivals to quarantine, making holidays probably impractical if you've not had the jabs. But the island has infections under control, a successful vaccination programme and even a plan to pay visitors up to $200 for visiting this summer, so now it's on the green list Malta is looking like a great choice for a summer holiday if you've had both jabs.
Turks and Caicos
Open now No quarantine on return from June 30 Direct flights available
Several of the most popular islands in the Caribbean are open already for visitors willing to take a test and spend their entire holiday at a government-certified resort. Some might find the latter provision restrictive, but since the resorts include not only some of the most lavish beachside hotels on earth but the option of spending your holiday on a boat, the options are actually pretty inviting. If you want to wander out and mingle with the locals that's not currently an option - if you want to enjoy the blue waters, white sands and five-star service of a Caribbean beach resort for a week or two, take a test and you're in.
Don't see anywhere you fancy?
If none of the available overseas destinations float your boat, have a look at some fantastic UK breaks this summer
Short breaks at all the UK's top attractions this summer
Where doesn't make the Green Green Green list?
Update: June 24 27 countries are on the UK's green list as of the last review, plus the Common Travel Area for 29. Here's some examples of places that are expected to make the green list but don't make the Green Green Green.
- New Zealand and Australia. Both are on the green list but they're closed to visitors.
- Singapore and Brunei.Both are on the green list, but they are likewise closed
- Minor British overseas territories. It's possible to fly to the Falkland Islands, for example, via the RAF, and the islands probably will make the UK's green list - but islands only accessible by occasional RAF flights may not be suitable for most ordinary holidays, so we have excluded them from our considerations. If you'd like to see our review of all the islands on the green list, see our article ranking the green list.
Are you Covid-ready to fly?
Everything you need for a test at either end of your trip.
Find out what tests you need for the top destinations
The science behind the 'Green Green Green list'
Update: June 24
What are we basing this all on? A combination of data from published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and travel consultant Paul Charles who came up with the traffic light system and tracks international Covid rates as it relates to travel; announcements by (and leaks from) our own government and the Global Travel Taskforce; and news from the governments and tourist bodies of the most important holiday destinations, which we track via news monitoring tools.