KEY UPDATE: 15th September 2020
Key Update: since 15th September – and until the 30th September (for now), the whole of Portugal (not just Lisbon) has moved into a State of Contingency, which isn’t a State of Emergency, but has been put in place due to schools and work returning. From a tourist point of view this does not change much, except in relation to alcohol and evenings. Specifically, after 8pm alcohol can only be served in restaurants/places which serve food, and alcohol must be purchased with a meal. These establishments can remain accepting guests until mid-night, and must close by 01:00. The sale of alcohol is also restricted in supermarkets after 8pm.
BUT… Now, these laws can be adapted by municipality, depending on the local situation. So, local councils can allow establishments to remain open until 23:00 should they wish, for example, in the Faro District of the Algarve, this is their local rules, so drinking until 23:00 is allowed in bars without meals – so check local restrictions. In addition, the general, non-location specific law is a little confusing, as while it deems alcohol can only be consumed after 8pm in a restaurant, there is another clause that says it can’t be consumed on public roads after 8pm, so in my local area for example, the police are instead enforcing it as after 8pm you can still drink, but just inside, which I think is a misunderstanding but that shows how short-term many of these laws are, and how they aren’t always understood.
The cases are, sadly, rising quite significantly in Portugal (mainly Lisbon & The North) and while I think the country has done a really good job overall, it seems, like most of Europe we are heading towards a second wave. Importantly, while cases are rising, deaths remain relatively low, and it was very much expected that cases would rise with the return to schools, work, and normal life, hence this period of contingency during these two weeks. Our PM & President have been very vocal about no further nationwide lockdown, and protecting tourism in the Azores, Madeira and the Algarve in particular where cases have remained low – but, let’s see what the next few weeks bring. I still really suggest from a tourist point of view booking everything as last minute as you can, not just for Portugal, but any travels in 2020.
Main Article: Updated September 2020
Latest updates in article: UK Airbridges for Maderia & Azores, Trip Reports, New State of Contingency and rules from 15th September, Entrance Rules, COVID-19 Stats
Over the summer, in fact since May 18th, we’ve been able to get out and explore our beautiful country of Portugal. Personally, I’ve taken road trips in the Alentejo and Central Portugal regions, beach hopping at home in the Algarve, spent a month in Lisbon for a language course and two weeks in The Azores, so have a fairly good idea about how each part of the country feels like as a tourist. Throughout, I’ve felt safe, secure and that our nation has taken precautions and health and safety seriously. Now, most Portugal coronavirus restrictions have been lifted for some countries.
For sure, many of us in the world are in the same boat when it comes to lockdowns, to varying degrees and different stages, and have likely seen a lot of our plans for 2020 cancelled. If however, you are planning to travel to Portugal in 2020, I wanted to give some insight into life on the ground, the current rules, and what has been put in place to best control coronavirus in Portugal, particularly when travelling.
*Please note, this is a fast-moving situation and the information provided below is done so in good faith at the time of writing. There are various sources linked out to throughout the article, and particularly at the bottom, however, DanFlyingSolo takes no responsibility for the information provided here and urges you to check all official sources for updates.
For the most part, I have been impressed as a Portuguese resident at the coronavirus situation in Portugal, how it was managed initially, but also with the COVID-19 travel set up in Portugal. I’ve been on many trips in the last month, and (as far as I’m aware) have not had the virus, indeed both my tests have been negative, but I’m being wary and taking all the personal precautions I can, and will try to detail the real situation below.
Some of the most popular beaches, like Carvoeiro, were quieter than normal and have monitoring
While I was very supportive of the lockdown initially, I very much saw it as an opportunity to get the health system prepared, and Portugals coronavirus rules and precautions in place before reopening. I didn’t see it as a permanent solution, but preparation time. Tourism is a huge part of life here in Portugal, especially in some regional, seasonal destinations like the Algarve.
It’s easy to dismiss concerns of ‘the economy’ as huge businesses, stock-markets and corporate bailouts, but there are so many small, family-run businesses here reliant on tourism, and no income this summer, means no money to pay the bills in winter – this will of course lead to huge social issues and even in a relatively left-leaning, semi-socialist country, that will become a problem,
As such, I support travel reopening, with the right restrictions in place, and if you are comfortable travelling right now, and can be respectful and take those precautions great – I fully understand it isn’t for everyone just now, but I don’t think we should be shaming everyone who is deciding to travel in the most responsible way they can either.
Here is the current situation for Portugal travel restrictions, and how my recent trips in Portugal have gone down. You can also find a list of resources at the bottom of this page (in various languages) to keep updated, and I’ll aim to update this post weekly.
Current Portugal Coronavirus Situation in numbers
Our lockdown in Portugal was never as strict as some of our neighbours, we never had 100% home confinement like Spain, and could always go outside for walks and exercise even at the height of the Portugal coronavirus restrictions. Since May 18th we’ve been able to return to restaurants, and taken some regional travel.
When it comes to my own personal experiences below, they were from trips and life from May until now.
Portugal was celebrated a lot in international media as doing very well with the Coronavirus Pandemic, and while there are certainly countries that performed even better, I think being next door to Spain, which tragically suffered, Portugal stood out a little more.
Portugal has one of the highest testing rates in the world, per capita, at the peak it was in the top 5 in the world and continues to test consistently, looking at the test numbers, it looks like over 20% of the population has been tested, which is good, as it gives a more accurate report on cases.
As of today, and these figures are updated daily on https://covid19.min-saude.pt/, we have had 64,596 cases in Portugal since the start of records and 1,871 deaths – there are quite striking differenced between the regions, with the islands, Alentejo and Azores recording much fewer cases, so it’s worth taking a look at that link as it might help you decide where to travel to.
The current active case number in mainland Portugal is around 18,540.
Over the last weeks, in early September, we have seen these numbers increase and while for many month we were around 200-300 cases per day, we are now around 600. This is of course a concern, and hopefully we stay on top of this.
For the most part, cases aren’t really in places tourists spend much time, so from a visitors point of view I still believe that you can enjoy a safe trip to Portugal.
For the island regions, numbers are very low. Madeira has less than 50 active cases, while in the Azores active cases are 46 and both have testing rules for arrivals – daily updated can be found on https://covid19.azores.gov.pt/ and https://covidmadeira.pt/
Restrictions at the SANA Sesimbra Pool meaning booking the pool for your timeslot
Portugal coronavirus entry requirements, rules, and airport procedures
So, if you are eligible to travel to Portugal right now based on the criteria and countries detailed above, what are the rules for entering, and also when you arrive?
Well, these can be broken down by region, as follows.
Mainland Portugal
The mainland of Portugal is the majority of Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula, next door to our lovely neighbour of Spain.
Currently, there is no quarantine, or testing on arrival for mainland Portugal related to coronavirus restrictions – unless you are arriving from a country that is on the essential travel only list (for example USA/Brazil) in which case you will need to test before flying, or perhaps can request a test on arrival – please check with the SEF border office to confirm. For the purpose of below, I will focus on EU/approved for tourism incoming passengers.
While most municipalities in mainland Portugal are on the same rules, there are obviously regions that have much fewer cases, and thus deemed much safer (like the Algarve and Alentejo). The situation in Lisbon which saw it have separate rules has also massively improved, and I felt very safe when I spent three weeks there in July.
Here is what to expect at the mainland airports (Faro, Porto and Lisbon) from friends and people I’ve spoken to that have travelled – keep in mind who is allowed to fly into Portugal, from that section above.
Firstly, the flight might be completely full or rather empty – I’ve heard reports on both. Just don’t expect empty middle seats or social distancing on the flight, it’s basically impossible. You will be wearing a mask, an N95 or high-quality one that filters more particles will likely be more helpful in compact spaces like this, although I offer no health advice on this. Bring sanitiser to keep your hands clean, and wash your hands before boarding, and on arrival.
When you arrive in Portugal, the flight numbers in and out are heavily reduced, so social distancing in lines is much easier. In theory, you will have filled your information in on the flight, and these documents will be collected by the airlines.
There are heat camera sensors at all the airports now, so temperature checks are being done even if you don’t notice them. There are SEF (border agents) monitoring these, and if you flag up the heat sensor, they will take you aside, and potential tests and quarantine will follow. Yes, some people who carry COVID-19 will not have a temperature, but this is the current situation.
For most of mainland Portugal, the rules follow wearing masks inside public spaces and transport, social distancing rules, gatherings are limited and no alcohol to be drank on public roads – bars close depending on local legal rules (20:00-23:00), and restrictions of 10 people per group, or four people per table in shopping centre dining. Beyond that, it’s kind of life as normal, with more details in the following sections.
Lisbon (special status for parts of greater Lisbon)
*As of the 15th September all of Portugal is under the same state of contingency as Lisbon, so rules are pretty much the same nationwide.
Popular tourist sights like Obidos were basically empty when I visited in June
Both Madeira and the Azores have autonomous governments, and as they have both had very low COVID-19 rates, they are keen to keep it that way.
Madeira
The rules once inside of Madeira are pretty similar to the rest of Portugal. However…
On August 1st Madeira announced that masks would become mandatory at all times in Public!
The info on this is on the tourism board website (use Chrome to auto-translate to English) – you must wear them when in the mountains, in parks, and when walking in public streets. They can be removed when sunbathing/swimming at the beach. Personally, I think this is a bit extreme and I have cancelled my planned trip as I don’t want to hike with a mask – that said, I don’t know who would even be enforcing this hiking in the mountains so it all seems a strange idea to have these rules the rest of the country doesn’t have.
Anyway, if you do decide to visit…
They have produced a really detailed PDF, available in English, which highlights everything – from what happens on arrival, to what happens at all kinds of establishments in the two inhabited islands that make up the Madeira archipelago (when travelling between Madeira and Porto Santo, there is no testing or limits).
Here are the brief key points of what to expect on arrival, and the requirements:
- It’s recommended to do a test 72-hours prior to travel, and receive a negative result. Although this can be done on arrival instead.
- There is a contact tracing app now in Madeira, called ‘MADEIRA SAFE TO DISCOVER’ – travellers should upload health documents to this app prior to arrival, or via the website.
- On arrival, thermal screening takes place, and those who have already completed the test prior to travel will have expedited processing through the airport to leave
- For those needing a test, a free test will be provided at the airport. It will take about 12 hours before they ring you with the results, during this time you must stay in isolation at your accommodation. If the test is negative, enjoy your holiday, and keep the app on your device, otherwise you may be check in on by telephone.
- If your test is positive, you and your group will be placed in confinement at a hotel as designated by the health service. The local government will cover your costs (this was the case initially but I’m sure this will change due to costs, so please do check with them before travelling if it will still be the case on your dates) for any medical expenses, accommodation and meals. A week later, the group will be given a second test, and if negative you can begin your holiday. A positive result means further confinement (it isn’t detailed who covers the cost then)
- There looks to also be an option to repatriate back to your own country, if the airline will carry you. This cost is on you, or your travel insurance (if they cover COVID-19 related matters)
I highly recommend you refer to this PDF for all those details (in English).
The Azores
I’ve just come back from two weeks in The Azores (Pico, Sao Jorge, Faial) and it was lovely. The testing and management of the situation are great there, so you feel like you can kinda forget this strange world for a bit.
The Azores have produced a word document with the current situation on, which can be read here in English.
Here are the brief key points of what to expect on arrival at any of the airports, Santa Maria, Terceira, Pico and Faial (from outside, not between – you can move between the islands once you receive your negative test results, however may need a second test, see below), and the requirements:
- Provide health form information on arrival, based on three options:
- If you have proof of negative test within 72-hours before flying, you are clear to enter the country with the lab report and continue your holiday. If you are staying longer than 7 days in the Azores, you can enjoy your holiday with the negative result, however you will have to complete another test, on the 6th day AFTER your initial test, and have another negative result. You will be provided with details of the local county health services to arrange this with.
- If you haven’t had a test before flying, you can have the test at the airport. You will then stay in isolation at your accommodation until you get the results. When you have the negative result, you can start your holiday. The same applies though, if staying longer than 7 days, you will also need to take another test 6 days later.
- If you test positive, you will have to quarantine until you receive a negative result on another test.
- If you refuse the test, your other options are to stay in isolation until you get the next flight available out of the islands, or take a 14-day quarantine in a dedicated isolation hotel, with the full cost being on you.
You pay for your 14-day quarantine if found positive, but both the test on arrival and the second test if needed will be free.
Bars on the island of São Miguel currently must close by 10pm.
Clean and Safe Portugal Initiative
Portugal introduced its own ‘Clean and Safe’ protocols very early on in the game, which also meant they were the first country to receive the ‘Safe Travel’ stamp by the World Tourism Council.
The Clean and Safe stamp and coronavirus protection rules in Portugal are covered in-depth on the Visit Portugal website which lists all the requirements for different types of business, and you’ll see the stamp on a lot of businesses booking pages.
The stamp basically is given to any business that is meeting those defined health and safety requirements and COVID-19 precautions as defined by the Portuguese health authorities.
While there is a criteria to meet, and online training, especially focused on cleaning and hygiene to follow, businesses certify and then have inspections, randomly, afterwards to ensure the standard is met.
A website, dedicated to Clean and Safe has now been launched at https://portugalcleanandsafe.com/ where you, as a visitor, can search for a business, check they have the stamp and see the measures they have put in place.
Most importantly you as the visitor can leave a rating on if the business met the criteria for clean and safe. This helps to keep businesses accountable to their stamp, as poor ratings will see them removed, or re-inspected.
There looks like an option to search a map, and see local businesses who have the stamp is in testing right now too.
Portugal Health passport and dedicated COVID Portugal Insurance
Portugal has launched two products this year, specifically for visitors and providing coverage in relation to health and COVID-19.
The first is the Portugese Health Passport – you can read the details here but there are various packages of healthcare options available for you while here, in private hospitals and I believe this was actually developed for general health tourism not just COVID-19, but has become more well known due to the current situation.
There is also a dedicated Portugal Travel Insurance which includes COVID-19, which you can see more about here and might be worth considering if you don’t have any Coronavirus cover with your usual insurer – I haven’t looked into it much, so please do review if it’s suitable for your needs before purchasing it.
Things to consider before booking or travelling to Portugal in 2020
The first thing to consider is are you allowed to enter the country, keep an eye on the rules of countries who can enter Portugal, and also the Schengen zone, using your local countries travel advisories, EU and destination countries pages – information can change very quickly, Greece announced they would reopen to USA travellers one day, and then changed it the next after people had booked flights – the dramas with the airbridges in the UK when Spain was removed with just a few hours notice – I’ll be honest that the communication and finding the right information for this is a bit of a mess for those outside the EU.
Are you insured? Obviously, a lot of countries still have general travel ban advice for their residents, which can null insurance. Likewise, a lot of policies aren’t covering for anything Coronavirus related or cancellations.
Are you prepared to adapt? This one certainly isn’t limited to Portugal, as we will see many countries change and adapt their rules over the coming months as the situation changes. Booking last minute will help, being prepared with free cancellations if needed, and perhaps having to change the region you stay in. No one fully knows what the future holds, so any decision has to be one you feel comfortable with.
Also, keep in mind some airlines are still continuing to cancel flights to countries, even when they have reopened for tourism.
You’ll also want to consider where to go based on case numbers, how to get around, where to stay based on what you feel comfortable with and so on, I’ll cover these in the trip report below.
Also, if you don’t want to play by the rules here, such as wearing masks, and intend on being difficult, argumentative, and cause problems – then don’t come. I’ve seen the rare visitor from countries where masks aren’t required arguing about them, please don’t be this person and just respect the local rules.
Places like Buddha Eden offer a chance to imagine you’ve left Europe, from Portugal
Portugal COVID-19 General Rules
There are a few general rules that apply in most ways of life in Portugal right now, listed below. For particular activities and places, see the relevant sections below.
- 2metre distance rule – though this has been relaxed a little bit in terms of tables spacing etc nowadays.
- Masks in inside spaces, such as public transport, shopping, or when entering a restaurant – luckily most of our life, from eating to relaxing is done outdoors in Portugal (different in Madeira)
- Social distancing rules in place in all aspects of life, from the beach to the cinema
- Fines are in place for those flouting the rules
- Gathering numbers are limited (10 persons max, 4 when dining in shopping centres)
- No alcohol to be consumed on public roads
For the most part, however, I will say my life seems pretty normal here on a day to day basis, apart from not really ‘working’ as the job scene is limited.
Bodeca safari park provides an alternative to the beaches
Destination – Where to travel based on coronavirus restrictions in Portugal?
The main outbreak in Portugal was initially in the north but then moved to the Greater Lisbon area, and now sadly we are seeing a flare up again in September in Lisbon, Central and Northern Portugal.
The Algarve and The Alentejo, basically the lower part of the country, have had much fewer cases, and very limited deaths, so this would, therefore, seem a more sensible place to vacation just now. You can find some hidden gems and beaches in the Algarve, or check into a vineyard in the Alentejo.
The archipelagos of Madeira and The Azores are recording very few active cases of COVID-19 too, so they are great bets, especially with testing on or before arrival in place to really limit any new transmission threads.
With villas with pools more available in the south and a lower population density, it’s also much easier to social distance without having to really think about it.
That said, there are plenty of smaller places in the country, outside of the main cities, that are usually packed with tourists but right now are pretty much empty. The famous castle towns of Obidos, in central Portugal, and Monsaraz in Alentejo are two examples I’ve visited recently and seen hardly any other people. (note, if you google Monsaraz you might see mention of some cases limited to a care-home in a nearby city with the same name, not the tourist destination).
While avoiding the biggest cities right now might seem the best way to go, I actually felt very safe in Lisbon when I spent three weeks there in July. More people wear masks outside there, and many things were super quiet, from nearly empty museums and monuments to Tram 28 without anyone waiting in the usual long lines. I wrote a thing for the local paper about my Lisbon trip here. That said, with the current increase in cases, do take precautions.
The Algarve got busier in August, but is now becoming much quieter again.
Road-trips are obviously a popular option right now, to limit the use of public transport, and campsites have reopened for tents and campers at 2/3 of capacity.
Hotels, private rentals, and guest-houses – whats the situation?
The Safe and Clean initiative mentioned above mainly applies to accommodation in my eyes, as this would be my biggest concern in terms of Coronavirus in Portugal, and limiting my contact. There is no rule on occupancy limits for hotels, but the other rules must be followed.
If you haven’t booked with AirBnB before, you can get up to €40 off your first booking:
by using my referral link here.
For sure, this year Airbnb and villa rentals will be popular, as people will want to have more private spaces. I’ve stayed in different types of properties in the past month and will give my experience below.
Hotel: SANA Sesimbra – This hotel is perhaps the best advert for the Clean and Safe system I’ve seen so far, and I was really impressed with the COVID-19 precautions that have been implement, and I’m sure most upscale hotels in Portugal will be doing something similar, especially as SANA are a chain with a few great places to stay in the county. A few things to note:
– Temperature checks were taken at check-in and daily at breakfast
– Timeslots needed to be booked for the swimming pool, and breakfast, to ensure the people limits (it was actually nice to have my 30 minutes with a private pool)
– Dining spaces were spread out by the rules, and the hotel buffet breakfast was replaced by a counter service type thing – I’ve seen many hotels advertising breakfast in the room included too. Staff were mainly behind plastic shielding walls, such as at reception.
– There were sanitiser stations everywhere, and staff seemed to be constantly cleaning
– Some changes in the room, such as a seal on the door placed by the cleaning team who do the sanitising, which should only be broken by the guest checking in. TV remotes were in covers, so they could easily be sanitised, some robes and slippers were removed to reduce the number of materials in the room to sanitise.
Guest House: Casa S. Thiago do Castelo – Obidos is usually teaming with tourists, but it was very quiet when I stayed last week. How would a smaller, non-chain business follow the rules? Well, for the most part, it was very similar to above, masks, sanitising on entry, breakfast times had to be booked as the dining room is small, so only two groups at a time, we also completed a form the night before so instead of the normal buffer, items were placed on our table.
Road-trips to inland Portugal are beautiful, like here in the Alentejo
Private Home: Monsaraz, Alentejo – This was the first place I stayed after Portugal relaxed the coronavirus restrictions in May, and our host was there to greet us with a sanitiser, both for our hands-on entry, but with a spray ready to re-clean any surfaces we asked him to do, and wipe down handles and switches he touched. I did notice the bin in the bathroom had something at the bottom of it though, and while private rentals seem the most appealing as you get your own space, be mindful that in larger hotels and guesthouses with dedicated cleaning teams, they are likely doing a more in-depth job than your average rental host, so you might want to do a bit of disinfecting yourself on arrival.
If you have a communal swimming pool in an apartment complex, the rules state that precautions and capacity levels must be managed, although I’m not too sure what this looks like in reality as they don’t usually have lifeguards. People I’ve asked that rent these places also don’t really know, so you’ll have to take your own precautions for the most part I think.
Luckily, there are plenty of unique, remote and cool AirBnB options in Portugal – I think my next trip will be to stay in this awesome converted Windmill in Alentejo!
All-inclusive options: honestly, I’m not sure what they will look like this year, will try and get some feedback if/when one reopens.
Hostels: When it comes to hostels, honestly I’m not sure about the situation in the mainland. In Madeira hostel dorms can have occupancy up to 50%. I did have a brief look in Lisbon online, and it seemed most were renting the rooms privately, rather than as dorms, but I can’t find official clarification on this – will try and update in due course. Personally, I would not want to stay in a dorm room right now, especially as there are many affordable accommodation options in Portugal currently.
Tourism attractions – are they open?
Most main tourism attractions are now open again, with the usual social distancing and mask-wearing.
Some of the religious attractions, particularly convents which have residents living in them are closed, I found on my recent trip.
Smaller regional attractions were also closed in the Alentejo when I drove through, as were some in central Portugal in my most recent trip last week. Some attractions are also free currently, to limit human interaction and the exchange of cash, as card payments are now preferred, but in Portugal aren’t always accepted.
Beaches – socially distanced sun-bathing?
When it comes to the beaches, very much needed in this hot weather, there are general rules set at a nationwide level, and then local municipalities have put their own Coronavirus preventive measures in place. Let me detail the specific rules, then show some real-life examples from my travels.
The general rules and systems in place are as follows:
– An app, which shows occupancy rates for participating beaches in advance so you can see the best beach near you to visit (search Info Praia app)
– This is dictated by a traffic light system, green, yellow and red – and in some case, as you’ll see below, even physical traffic lights!
– Guarded beaches with lifeguards will see the life guars monitoring and enforcing social distancing
– The social distancing of 1.5metres between beachgoers, more on parasols
– Sports of more than two people are banned, excluding water sports
– Parking is prohibited on roads to beaches outside of the car park; they have quite quickly started putting down new double yellows too.
– More rules are on an infographic here: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421175
The Parque Natural da Arrábida provides Amalfi Coast style high roads, or beaches almost Caribbean likem
And from my personal experience, here is what I found:
Algarve, specifically around Carvoeiro – Many beaches here have an actual traffic light system, counting people entering and leaving, and showing the red/amber/green sign at the entrance to the beach, and on the app. I’ve only seen it ‘red’ and labelled as at capacity a few times.
Sesimbra – In Sesimbra, I noticed they had sanitiser stations, foot-operated, on the beach, which is great. There was also a one-way system in place for entry and exit to try and limit crossover. The accessible beach platforms were wide enough for those with wheelchairs to distance; however, the wooden paths to them are still single track. There was loads of space when I visited last week on both days.
Peniche area – Beaches seemed quite quiet, especially at Baleal island. More of a surfer destination for sure and surf rental spots were open.
Lake beaches in the Alentejo – At many of the lakes inland we have beaches too, these weren’t so busy when I was there, but again they aren’t a huge tourist spot. I didn’t see any specific things put in place when I visited in May. However, beach bathing system hadn’t started yet, so perhaps now the official Portugal coronavirus precautions have been implemented.
Restaurants and bars – beers in the sun?
Key Update: since 15th September – and until the 30th September (for now), the whole of Portugal (not just Lisbon) has moved into a State of Contingency, which isn’t a State of Emergency, but has been put in place due to schools and work returning. From a tourist point of view this does not change much, except in relation to alcohol and evenings. Specifically, after 8pm alcohol can only be served in restaurants/places which serve food, and alcohol must be purchased with a meal. These establishments can remain accepting guests until mid-night, and must close by 01:00. The sale of alcohol is also restricted in supermarkets after 8pm.
BUT… Now, these laws can be adapted by municipality, depending on the local situation. So, local councils can allow establishments to remain open until 23:00 should they wish, for example, in the Faro District of the Algarve, this is their local rules, so drinking until 23:00 is allowed in bars without meals – so check local restrictions. In addition, the general, non-location specific law is a little confusing, as while it deems alcohol can only be consumed after 8pm in a restaurant, there is another clause that says it can’t be consumed on public roads after 8pm, so in my local area for example, the police are instead enforcing it as after 8pm you can still drink, but just inside, which I think is a misunderstanding but that shows how short-term many of these laws are, and how they aren’t always understood.
Table and group sizes are 10 people maxium, and in shopping centres 4 people (we love eating in Shopping centres here where you’ll get great fresh meals, with proper plates and cutlery for €5, they get very busy!)
Reservations are highly recommended for restaurants, this is due to the reduction of tables, and to allow premises to try and space out the bookings they do have with time slots. It’s common for restaurants to have Facebook pages here (more so than websites) so if you don’t have a working phone in the country, you can often try sending a FB Message to make reservations.
Masks must be worn when inside restaurants, cafes and similar when going to the table, to the toilet, leaving etc., but can be removed once sat at your table. Tables should be 1.5 metres apart. Menus should be disposable or in digital format (QR codes are popping up everywhere) – though some, such as wine lists, I’ve noticed are often in sanitise coverings instead. Hand sanitiser provided for use on entry and exit. Servers and staff will wear masks at all times, I believe in Madeira gloves might also be in use, although as someone who worked in Hospitality for many years I hope not, gloves usually mean people are washing hands less, and gloves are no cleaning than hands.
On outside terraces, servers will wear masks. However, there are no requirements for customers to wear them outside, though if walking through people to get to a table you should.
Restaurants are open, with some precautions
This is such a helpful article! thanks
Hi Dan,
I have a flight soon from EU country to Lisbon, and while preparing bumped into this wonderful and informative page.
What bothers me are two things
– If I flag the heat sensor at the airport or I look suspicious, can the authorities put me in isolation/quarantine without testing me?
– What if an another passenger’s test is positive – Will I have to isolate?
I hope you can share some information
Hi Ivan,
Sorry for the delay I’ve been away.
The heat sensors would be a trigger for a test, they have testing facilities at all airports now – so if you flag it, you will be tested and asked to isolate until the results (usually 24hours) are with you. If negative, carry on, if positive, then yes obviously you will need to isolate.
Should someone else test positive on your flight, the airline/health service will contact you and ask you to have a test at a local clinic. Testing is all free.
Enjoy Portugal!
This is such a helpful article! I also tried to write about country specific coronavirus restrictions on my blog, but it was so confusing I just gave up!!
Hey Becky, haha yes it’s a lot to keep up with they change so quickly – this now needs a complete overhaul after just two weeks!
This is so insightful. Once we can travel more freely again I definitely will come back here to check the updates! Travel is so essential for many people’s well-being. Can’t wait for things to open up safely again.
Hi Dan,
Any news regarding bars and nightclubs in Lisbon?
Rgds Viktor
Yes, some had re-opened, inline with the 1am rules of the rest of the country. Nightclubs however remain essentially closed as ‘dance floor areas and spaces’ don’t meet the social distancing rules.
Hello Dan – talk about great timing coming across your article on Portugal! 😊 I’m flying there from Canada….arriving September 18th….a solo birthday/combo travel therapy kinda trip after a few losses these last few months….spending the first 7 nights in Albufeira (read the most vibrant town!) and the last four nights in Lisbon…almost two weeks and I can’t wait to hop on a bloody plane again! haha Lived in London years ago…booted around Europe and I can’t believe that I haven’t been to Portugal yet – soon to be rectified! 🤞 I have one query if you don’t mind….someone told me to perhaps stay in Sintra instead of Lisbon those last few days….and pop into Lisbon for a day trip. I was learning towards staying in Lisbon as when I travel I also love the nightlife…meeting folks in bars, etc… (if open past 8pm by the time I get there!)….would you say that Lisbon might be more suited for what I’m after…and doing day trips with Lisbon as a home base. Your article was most helpful – thank you so very much! Here’s hoping I can get there….now if I’m stuck there….I’m in I.T. so I wouldn’t mind at all! haha Cheers!
Hey Tammy,
Sorry for the delay on coming back to you – I’ve been away without my laptop.
Hope you have a fantastic trip – sure my advice by now is too late and you have it all planned. Sorry about the bar restrictions still being in place – hope you still enjoy!
Evening Dan
Anything about number of households in one villa rental ?
Brian
Hi Brian,
I haven’t heard anything about that no. We don’t have any restrictions on gatherings in houses other than the max person cap (20 or 50 I believe right now depending on location) so I don’t think that would be a problem at all – but might be worth checking with the villa rental company, incase they have their own restrictions.
Have a great trip,
Dan
i have visited portugal twice
Hope you had a great time!
Extremely helpful and interesting article, thanks for sharing! And the photos make me want to visit Portugal again even more.
Glad to help, and there’s always a good reason to return to Portugal ;)
Checking all relevant sites but still can’t find an answer….
I’m an EU passport holder and currently I’m in Israel. Need to get to Lisbon for a week. Planning on flying via Germany or France.
As a holder of EU passport will I be able to get into Portugal?
From what I know yes, there is no restrictions for EU passport holders at all, and as you’ll be coming via France or Germany, you will enter Schengen zone again there and travel to Portugal as part of the Schengen zone. As such, it will be checking the restrictions for those countries mainly, and potentially there will be a testing requirement to enter those airports.
Portugal looks and sounds amazing!
Good luck with your faces2hearts project. That looks cool, how did you find out about that, and how does one get involved ?
Thank you, it’s all wrapped up now – but they may run it again next year, keep an eye on faces2hearts.eu :)
Hi Dan great post you have here and very informative.
We have a house here in Pera, Algarve and took the decision to come over from the UK for the month of August as we believe its presently safer here than at home.
Now we have arrived, we have no regrets, everything is carried out safely with plenty of precautions in bars, restaurants and shopping centres.
We just can’t believe how quite it is for this time of year – its almost like October period? We have seen a very small number of British tourist here, but plenty of Portuguese tourist.
The current situation suits us down to the ground and feel very safe in our house and on our local beaches.
This summer we decided to drive to Portugal via ferry to northern Spain and we are glad we have done this as flying is still of concern to us.
Our only issue, is the UK restriction and whether this will be in force until we head home late August. We don’t want to have to quarantine when returning and we are hoping that the UK government will see sense over the next few weeks, though with Spain now on their list this is looking ever so doubtful.
So for those thinking about coming to Portugal this month, as long as you follow the rules as all the locals do this is definitely a safe place to be. Yes you do have the risks, however this applies whether you are at home or abroad.
Hi Greg,
Sorry your comment got caught in a filter and I only just spotted it. Indeed, it’s been very surprising (and enjoyable) without the crowds, although certainly noticed the numbers increasing this week.
I hope todays announcement and the air bridge dates work for your planned arrival home and you can avoid quarantine.
Take care,
Dan
Dan, useful article – Thank you. We are a young family, 2 children, 8 and 2 and we booked flights and private accommodation in Albufeira for this Sunday back in January. Disappointed that the UK govt haven’t included Portugal in the air corridor but are encouraged by the Portuguese response, especially in the Algarve and are keen to support local business there – So we are intending to travel but are very nervous! Private accommodation with communal pool in Albufeira, daily walks to old town, beach at Albufeira, trips to Zoomarine and Vilamoura in the rental car, can we expect a “normal” experience as much as is practical? We are still hopeful of a change of status from UK govt before we return on Sunday week!
Hi Roawn,
Hope you are well and have a wonderful holiday here in the Algarve! Indeed, it’s a shame the UK haven’t included us yet, but hopefully by the time you are returning it will be on the list!
For the most part, things are normal here. Beaches are open, and accesiable with the flag/traffic light system proving a success so far, and restaurants etc all good with the extra precautions. I haven’t been to Zoomarine or know anyone that has in these times, but I believe only parts of it are open currently, as some parts don’t allow for the level of scoial distancing as required by the rules.
Personally I feel very safe here, and Albufeira was quiet when I last visited about a month ago, although the tourist numbers have increased in recent weeks. As long as you are sensible with general precautions, you can absolutely have a fantastic holiday and avoid others for the most part. Have a great trip!
Hi Dan
Any news your end no news in the UK?
Regards
Darren
Nope, just a lot of anger and disbelief this end. Even in the locked down handful of areas in Lisbon now their R is below 1 too. It’s stupid, really thought I might get to see my family in August. Hopefully, we see another list update this week, but there’s no so long patience lasts, right!
Hey Dan, even in this tough time for travel seekers you are providing information about different places and your experiences. Great post. Love reading your articles.
Thanks Nik! Hope we can all travel safely again someday!
WOOP WOOP [external link]
I don’t understand how the newspapers had the leek, and then on Friday it wasn’t on the five they said yes to – hopefully tomorrow we get the news!
this is amazing post thanks for sharing information with us
Hi Dan
Me again, i have read and heard the 27/07/2020 there will be an announcement about Portugal, have you any further information please?
Hi Darren. Yes, the next update by the UK Government will be on the 27th, I doubt we will have any idea before then if they will change the UKs advice – the ball is very much in their court. Portugal has done everything they can to argue their case, and the case numbers are falling here so we are hopeful.
In this time of Covid-19, what should be taken care of in travel?
Sorry, I don’t understand the question fully?
Hi Dan, I am flying into Faro the middle of August and then driving over the border to my parents place in Ayemonte. Do I need to do anything as a uk citizen to cross the border please ?
Hey Sally. Nope, border is currently open with no checks. Just the normal requirements to have car insurance to drive in Spain. Hopefully by then the UKGov will have lifted the FCO advice to so travel insurance is valid in Portugal again :)
Hi Dan, now the 10/07/2020, we fly to Vale de Lobo 31/07/2020 do you think restriction will be removed in terms of the UK quarantine?
Hi Darren,
On the 27th July we expect the UK Government to re-release the air-corridor/no quarantine list. There has been a lot of ongoing discussion between the governments, and scientists, so while we all hope it is, it very much depends what the UK government decides, and as their decisions have shown so far, we can’t always predict what they will action next. So, sadly, that is a guessing game just now, the Portuguesa Gov are pushing for regional restrictions only, say arrivals from Lisbon, but really trying to have the Algarve deemed safe as the case % there is one of the lowest in all of EU, so perhaps they will agree to atleast change the rules from Faro.
As soon as I have news, I’ll update here, and I’m sure it will be announced on UK TV quickl.
Hi Dan
Thank you very much for your prompt reply, we are on tenterhooks waiting for the decision, I think the UK government have got this so wrong.
Hi Dan
Thank you very much for your prompt reply, we are on tenterhooks waiting for the decision.
Helpful post
Do you play for Man United?
What? Please don’t say Wayne Rooney lol, sometimes people say I look like here?!
Thanks for the detailed article. It helps a lot!
Thanks – will try and keep updating it!
amazing photos
Hi
With the current virus situation can you still use euros cash to for payment in cafes and shops or must you use plastic card.
Thanks
Anna
Hey Anna,
The preference is certainly for cards as an ‘official recommendation’ however in reality, this isn’t possible. Many cafes and shops don’t even have card terminals, so it could never be fully implemented and is a suggestion rather than a law. While some businesses may make it a rule in their store, I’ve had no problem using cash in various small cafes and shops, right up to the biggest supermarkets, so you can pay in your preferred way.
Thanks,
Dan
Hey Dan – my wife and I are meant to travel Portugal soon. I am a British Citizen and my wife is a Mexican Citizen, but we live in London and haven’t been anywhere else in the last 4 months. I want to check if we can travel to Portugal with the COVID restrictions as my wife does not have a British/EU passport?
Hi Akhil,
Hope you’re well.
You’ll need to check with your airport, your airline, and also with SEF in Portugal for individual situations like this. I know of one person who tried to fly Luton – Lisbon with a USA passport, and they were declined at the airport as the USA, like Mexico isn’t on the approved list with the EU. So, while that would indicate the answer would be no, I’m not informed enough about that situation to give a definitive answers – as perhaps, we you are a couple, and one of you have a B/EU passport, you would be in a different category to the solo traveller with a USA passport. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan – thanks for your response. Sure, I appreciate the advice. I’ve dropped a few emails to the tourism board and SEF to check about this. I’ll let you know when I hear more.
Thanks.
Hi Akhil,
I tried to find some solid information and struggled, but the closest I could find related to a new decree from yesterday, about people being returned on the airline they came in on if not meeting the criteria.
The facebook post comes from Safe communities Portugal, who translate laws and information for the immigrant community here. Follow this link to see their post, and further down there is a link to their website with more information: https://www.facebook.com/scalgarve/photos/a.297134360400162/3064944636952440/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCwq70HzZI9kauHTr9fFB7dqj6Z7z39Iv6_gH-JNL1oQLFPVpoeOh6-43Xfs4DuEnFS5LD7uSBagJe_de9TDcgoaTxUuhVC3YERw6cVNoby99ZwVbKUMnrzCWRXFfivWnQ4niGfZSi3uNCyCe9it_XZIr6zl3p2z-fiuAXgLe6sKPoZnqrAtoiSW2Y04nvgrbdniWE-56qV2Zbi9s7nCFJpaIMsy_bgZPtPB0nj7WE1Ulvn59ZzIFwGj7jhkmqGP2oY6f2la0o35WxZmq3_KMeHoyXDnKgTLDAdb5zK_8ZFbyiF-EKTu79s12TkXSEB32fWDcTxKRCAVZa6zaDa9KxAEazmcZYte5OvIlZvE9QZbECYb9rvIcCM&__tn__=-R
This might not answer your question fully I’m not sure, but it’s relevant at least.
If you get a firm answer, could you let us know here too, that would be great.
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks Dan – that link is useful. I will give it a read and see if anyone in the comments is in a similar position.
Absolutely, if i find out a definitive answer on my query, I’ll share here for everyone’s benefit. Thanks again.
Hope you can soon, it’s a slow processes getting answers for sure!
Hey Dan – Can confirm my wife and i landed in Porto without any issues. We fly from LHR and were asked if we had been to Brazil or USA because then you require to be tested upon landing in Portugal. As we hadn’t been anywhere, but London in the last few months, it was a smooth journey. Thanks for the help and advice.
Thank you for the update Akhil – and hope you are having/had a wonderful time!
Hi Daniel
thank you for sharing all this info. It is really helpful. My 2 kids and I are travelling to Portugal in a couple of weeks. We had book this holiday way before Covid and have not cancelled our flights yet. We live in the USA but we have European passports (Spanish and German) We are flying to Lisbon via Frankfurt as there are no direct flights now from DC to Lisbon.
We have just been told that we need to provide proof of a negative Covid test done within 72 hours of embarking although in some places it says landing. In the USA getting one done with results issued so quickly is almost impossible. We have just found one lab where they can issue the results in 72 hours which makes it very tight for us. Do you know how strict they are being about the number of hours in the report and if this report needs to be presented on paper or can be shown digitally? Have you heard of anyone arriving from the USA in our same situation?
Thank you so much in advance
Maribel
Hi Maribel,
I’m really not sure what is the best advice right now, I’ve not actually encountered this situation as with most people coming from the USA, their flights have been cancelled or they have cancelled their trip because of not being able to fly on their passports.
I know in Madeira and Azores they are very strict on the 72 hour rules, but they also offer the facility at the airport for testing on arrival so it adds another level of options. On the mainland, I don’t believe they are offering this, although I may be wrong – so for the mainland I’m not sure if this is embarking or landing.
Sorry, I’ll ask around tomorrow and see if anyone knows any answers and post an update here if I find anything, but I guess SEF ( https://www.sef.pt/en/Pages/sea-contacts.aspx ) or ANA Airports (https://www.ana.pt/en/lis/passenger-guide/what-you-need-to-know/useful-contacts) would be the best people to try and get a quick answer from.
Hope it’s not too much hassle chasing down the information you need.
Safe travels,
Dan
Thanks a lot, very helpful 😃😁
No problem.
Hi Dan,
Thank you for all the provided information!
I am from the Netherlands and will fly to Lisbon on the 17th of july. I booked an appartment in Lisbon (Alfalma) till the 19th of july and after I will drive with a rental car to the Algarve to stay there for a week longer.
Due the increase of Covid-19 cases in Lisbon I guess its not a wise choice to stay in Lisbon? Currently my plan is to drive with the rental car already to the Algarve straight after my arrival on friday the 17th in the evening.
I will only be at the airport in Lisbon and then drive away to the south. Do you still think this is possible, looking at the restrictions in Lisbon right now?
Regards,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,
I think, even if you did want to visit Lisbon you wouldn’t have a problem, as the most central parts, and Alfama, are mainly for tourism rentals now so are very empty. The infected areas are quite far out of the city, in residential blocks. But of course, you must do whats write for you.
I’m actually moving back to Lisbon, near Alfama today for my studies, and am not too concerned. The only differences is it will be an early-to-bed atmosphere with most things shutting at 8pm anyway. In the Algarve, life is much more normal, and the airports in Portugal don’t look busy at all, so I think you’ll see little problems getting your car hire and out of Lisbon airport with minimal contact. Ultimately, whatever you feel comfortable with, and of course, some things might change in the coming weeks.
Safe travels!
Thanks Dan!
I will wait for the next days if there will be any other updates regarding the news in Lisbon and make the decision.
Anyways, for sure I will enjoy my holidays in Portugal! :)
Take care!
Hey Jonathan,
I arrived in Lisbon yesterday afternoon, and have walked around the main downtown area last night and today. There were a few more people about yesterday being Sunday, but for the most port it is empty. At lunch time today, the main streets and plazas are empty, examples: Tram 28 there was no one waiting at the stop, and just two people onboard, and at the Santa Justa lift no one around taking photos – so from a tourism perspective, I’m not concerned about the situation in downtown, and expect most of the tourist areas to be similar.
I took the metro yesterday afternoon, it was just a few people on board, I think maybe rush-hour would be different, but then I will just opt to walk. Many people are wearing masks not just inside where mandated, but also when walking around on the streets, it’s been very easy to social distance thus far.
Today they are reporting on the news a downwards trend in the residential areas for cases, so hopefully that keeps up too.
Whatever you decided, do what you’re most comfortable wish so you can have a great time in Portugal!
Can I ask, while there are flights from UK, can British nationals enter the Portugal mainland? In confused on this
Hi Sabrina, Yes they can enter from the UK – however the issue for most people from the UK isn’t entering, it’s the mandatory quarantine on the return. This looks set to be relaxed soon by England, but not the other countries in the UK. They are all working on different rules.
Hi Sabrina, Yes, UK Nationals can enter, however the issue is more on return, and the mandatory quarantine. England is looking likely to life that soon, but the other countries in the UK are operating different rules.
Thanks Dan!
And as it turned out, no, they didn’t lift quarantine or FCO advice for mainland Portugal today.
Thanks for the info about Portugal that how we can manage there even in this pandamic
You’re welcome.