Unlocking the World
Travel to Portugal during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
CNN Staff • Updated 5th May 2022
(CNN) — If you're planning to travel to Portugal, here's what you'll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The basics
Portugal saw a rise in cases following the emergence of Omicron, but cases have since dropped. The country remains open for tourism with some restrictions in place. See more detail below.
What's on offer
Ancient towns, some of the loveliest coastlines in Europe and plenty of pasteis de nata.
Portugal has long been overlooked in favor of Europe's bigger hitters, but over the past few years, that's started to change rapidly.
The capital of Lisbon, with its trams rattling up hills and peerless views of the Tagus River, is the place to start.
Then there's the Algarve, whose beach resorts are set atop crumbling cliffs. There's also the dramatic Atlantic coast, beloved by surfers, and the vast Alentejo region, whose landscapes and hilltop towns have been barely touched by tourism.
Who can go
Anyone can travel to mainland Portugal by plane. See below for the rules and restrictions.
What are the restrictions?
These restrictions reflect arrivals to mainland Portugal. There are no longer any restrictions on travel to the island of Madeira. For instructions on visiting the Azores, see here.
All travelers entering mainland Portugal must either show proof of vaccination, or valid recovery certificate, or a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before boarding, or a negative antigen test taken 24 hours before boarding.
EU travelers to Portugal can show their EU Digital Covid Certificate proving vaccination, test or recent recovery. Vaccinated travelers hailing from non-EU countries with a reciprocal agreement with the EU can show relevant vaccination certificates. For a list of these applicable countries, see here.
Passengers no longer need to complete a passenger locator form before departure.
Children under 12 can enter Portugal without showing a certificate or test.
Arriving in Portugal by sea entails the same entry regulations as air.
See this link for advice on arriving into Portugal by land.
What's the Covid situation?
Portugal has had more than 3.8 million cases and over 22,300 deaths as of May 5.
More than 92.3% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
What can visitors expect?
Face masks are mandatory on public transport. They are also mandatory in closed spaces.
In mainland Portugal, it is no longer required to present proof of vaccination or negative test to enter bars and clubs, eat indoors at restaurants, visit tourist establishments, stay at local accommodation or attend events.
Rules on the island of Madeira are slightly different -- proof of vaccination, a negative test or a recovery certificate are required for entry to certain venues, such as nightclubs and bars. For full details, check out the VisitPortugal website.
Useful links
Our recent coverage
Learn more about Portugal's famous pasteis de nata, or custard tarts, in our round-up of breakfast foods from around the world.
The town of Guimarães in Portugal made our recent list of Europe's most beautiful towns.
The Portuguese city of Porto recently ranked ninth on Time Out's list of the world's coolest cities, and around an hour south of Porto, you can now find the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
Planning your trip? Here are some of the best Portuguese dishes to try.
