March 16, 2020 – 

The COVID-19 Coronavirus has spread across the globe faster and wider than expected.  Now with Europe and the United States almost on total lockdown, it is uncertain when life will get back to normal.  Regardless of all the “news” erupting from our TVs and radios, I am still relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.  

Friends in Italy, who just two weeks ago seemed not worried, are now in crisis mode.  A report from a fellow tour guide in Berlin, just this morning, tells of Germany coming to a standstill and in full-out crisis mode.  Unfortunately, it appears things will get worst here on this side of the Atlantic before they get better.  

At Exploring Europe, we are taking no new bookings for tours scheduled to begin before May 31, 2020.  By order of the CDC and the US Department of State, we will not operate any tours scheduled to depart from now until April 19, 2020.  We are trying to cancel as few tours as possible but with the information changing almost daily, our decisions will be updated as needed.

March 1, 2020 –

The COVID-19 Coronavirus has been a hot topic for the last few weeks. There is no denying this Coronavirus is spreading across the globe. Experts tell us there is no way to predict how this will affect travel in Europe in the next few weeks or even months. Some suggest the virus will disappear as winter turns to spring, while others fear travel may come to a screeching halt in the coming months. Honestly, no one knows for sure.

As a tour operator, our primary concern is the safety of those who travel with us. Consequently, to make the best possible decisions, I am relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.  

We have not canceled any of our tours at the moment. I pledge to monitor the news and alerts coming from the organizations mentioned above and make tour-related changes or cancelations as needed. Currently, the Department of State has issued a Level 3 advisory (Reconsider Travel) for all of Italy and a Level 4 advisory (Do Not Travel) for the regions of Lombardy and the Veneto. Fortunately, we do not have any tours scheduled for Italy until Mid-April. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor the situation in Italy, and make decisions as needed regarding our tours in Italy.

As for the rest of Europe, the Department of State, WHO, and CDC have issued no Coronavirus-related travel advisories. We have tours scheduled in Austria, Germany, and Spain beginning in mid-March, and for the moment, we will run those tours as planned. Later this month, I will get on my flight to Munich and explore Europe for a few weeks.