Portugal holiday boost as country scraps all Covid restrictions ahead of summer

BRITS heading to Portugal have been given a welcome holiday boost as the country scraps more of their Covid rules.

Holidaymakers no longer need to show any Covid vaccines or tests to enter the mainland of Portugal.

Previously, tourists needed to have proof of vaccine or a negative Covid test.

This is no longer needed if heading to popular holiday hotspots such as Lisbon or the Algarve.

This is also the same for the island of Madeira, although the Azores has kept the rules in place so all Brits over 12 will need a vaccine certificate or negative test.

A statement issued by Visit Portugal confirmed: “As of July 1, 2022, passengers entering national territory are no longer required to present proof of carrying out a test to screen for SARS-CoV-2 infection with a negative result or to present a COVID-EU digital certificate or vaccination or recovery certificate issued by third countries, accepted or recognized in Portugal.”

The Foreign Office has since updated its travel advice to reflect this.

The website states: “There are no COVID vaccination or testing requirements for entry to mainland Portugal, Madeira and Porto Santo.

“You must present proof that you have been fully vaccinated when you check-in for your flight to the Azores.

“If you’re not fully vaccinated, you’ll need to show proof of a negative PCR test (taken no more than 72 hours before boarding), a rapid lateral flow test (taken no more than 24 hours before boarding) or valid evidence of recent recovery from COVID-19.

It’s not the only good news for Brits hading to Portugal this year.

The country recently confirmed that UK travellers will be able to use their e-gates when entering and leaving the country.

They are one of the few countries to allow Brits to use them since the UK left the EU, and travellers now have to use non-EU queues at security.

However, holidaymakers need to be aware that they will still need to have their passports stamped when leaving the country, or face problems later on.

We’ve found some of the best Algarve deals from £50pp a night.

And we headed to Porto – here is what you can expect from a holiday in the Portuguese city.