To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Foreign Office Issues Travel Warnings For Popular Holiday Destinations

Foreign Office Issues Travel Warnings For Popular Holiday Destinations

The warnings cover countries including Spain, Greece, Egypt, Turkey and Thailand

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

It's holiday season, and while your mind may be busy with getting your suitcase ready, it's worth taking a look at the official travel advice released by the UK government.

With some of the advice covering the basics, like which jabs you need for the country you're visiting, other information is related to things like terrorism and no-go areas in certain countries.

Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, with about 18 million of us heading there last year. The advice given by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) covers the country's mainland, as well as islands like Ibiza and Majorca.

Balcony falls have become all too common in places like Ibiza.
Pixabay

With recent demonstrations across the country, it's worth bearing in mind that unexpected violence can arise from protests, should they escalate quickly. It's best to avoid any that you come across.

Balcony falls are proving to be a problem across the Spain, with authorities advising people to be extra careful and also to look out for friends and family - especially when under the influence of drink or drugs.

Another thing to remember is that if you try to make a false claim for things like food poisoning, you can be done for fraud both in the UK and Spain - not really worth it, is it?

Greece is also way up on the list of summer holiday destinations, thanks to cheap flights and amazing weather. But some of the things to look out for include mosquitoes - some of us seem to suffer with them, others get away with it, but numerous cases of West Nile virus were reported in 2018. The virus can be very serious in some cases, so it's best to pack that insect repellent.

Santorini in Greece.
Pixabay

It's also worth bearing in mind that cash withdrawals are limited to €600 (£535) a day, so prepare beforehand if you need to pay upfront for things like hotels or car hire. Also, Greek police - presumably sick and tired of dealing with 'Brits abroad' - have been known to impose heavy fines or prison sentences on people who behave indecently if they have drunk too much.

Because of ongoing violence and terrorism, both Turkey and Egypt have no-go zones, where travel should be avoided at all costs. For Turkey, it's anywhere within 10km of the Syrian border, while in Egypt you should avoid North Sinai, the Nile Valley and Nile Delta.

In Egypt, although homosexuality isn't illegal, the charge of 'debauchery' has been used to prosecute LGBT people. In September 2017, 66 people were arrested for this after flying a rainbow flag at a concert.

Egypt is another popular destination for British holidaymakers.
Pixabay

Turkey also has regular demonstrations, and the FCO says that sexual assaults on women and minors have become more common.

Finally - this is one for animal lovers to bear in mind - although it's pretty much impossible to resist stroking cute strays when you're abroad, large colonies of stray dogs are reported to gather in public places, with many of them carrying diseases such as rabies. So if you do get bitten, seek medical advice immediately.

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

Topics: World News, uk news, travel