Unlocking the World
Travel to Portugal during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
CNN Staff • Updated 7th October 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 during the Omicron wave in early 2022, but cases have since dropped.
The country is open for tourism and no longer has any Covid-related entry restrictions in place.
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 in recent 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 Portugal.
What are the restrictions?
Travelers visiting Portugal, including the Azores Islands and Madeira, are no longer required to present proof of vaccination, or valid recovery certificate, or a negative test.
Passengers no longer need to complete a passenger locator form before departure.
What's the Covid situation?
Portugal has had more than 5.5 million cases and over 25,000 deaths as of October 7.
As of October 7, more than 95.6% of the population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
What can visitors expect?
Most coronavirus restrictions have been relaxed in Portugal.
On mainland Portugal, face masks are no longer mandatory, aside from in health facilities and in care and nursing homes. However, it is recommended by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health that those age 10 or over wear face masks in certain locations, including public transport.
Rules on the island of Madeira are slightly different. 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.
Planning your trip? Here are some of the best Portuguese dishes to try, find out more about the Azores, and discover why European travelers are heading to Alentejo.
Portugal ranked tenth on this list of Europe's best bathing spots. The Portuguese town of Guimarães made our list of Europe's most beautiful towns and the city of Porto ranked ninth on Time Out's 2021 list of the world's coolest cities.
