UK holidaymakers jetting off to Greece have been hit with a stern warning from the Foreign Office about a hefty fine for a common habit.

The UK government’s travel advice on the gov.vuk website, under the safety and security section, alerts travellers that smoking in certain areas within Greece is illegal and could land them with a fine of up to €500. Officials state: “It’s illegal to smoke in indoor public places, including shopping malls and transport hubs. You could get a fine of up to 500 euros.”

GreekReporter has highlighted that the ban outlaws smoking in all enclosed public spaces in Greece, as well as playgrounds and other outdoor areas where children gather. As well as this, it’s also against the law to smoke in a private vehicle when a child under 12 is present.

Smoking is prohibited in all workplaces, bars, and restaurants with no exceptions. Previously, there was an exemption for casinos and bars larger than 300 sq m, which could allow smoking in designated areas no larger than half of the total floor space, but this was abolished by the Council of State, Greece’s highest court, in March 2019.

The clampdown on smoking now includes taxis, hospitals, healthcare facilities, universities, schools, eateries, cafes, live music spots, and nightclubs. The legislation further extends to sports venues and open-air stadiums. In addition, the new rules abolish a previous provision that allowed larger entertainment and dining establishments to maintain designated smoking zones separate from their main areas.

Smoking in taxis and public transport is forbidden as well as in private vehicles if there is a passenger under 12 years old. Outdoor sports stadiums and some outdoor areas frequented by children are also covered by the ban.

Tobacco retail displays are banned with the exception of specialist tobacco outlets such as kiosks and duty-free shops. The sale of cigarettes from vending machines was banned in 2009. Despite this frenzy of anti-smoking legislation, Greece has the highest smoking rate in the EU.

In addition to the smoking ban, travellers should be aware that there has been a stark warning issues in regards to health with Covid cases surging due to the new FLiRT variant. Over the last 20 days there has been a significant surge in infections reported by the Mediterranean country’s health authorities.

Greece’s National Public Health Organization, EODY, said hospital admissions shot up between July 8 and 14, with 669 new Covid patients receiving treatment.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include

• continuous cough
• high temperature, fever or chills
• loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
• shortness of breath
• unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
• muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
• not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
• headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
• sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
• diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick