COVID is a covid test required at each albergue in Portugal?

[simoneva]

I am hoping to do the primitivo and portuguese routes starting on 15th September. Spain accepts my UK vaccine but Portugal apparently requires a pre-flight test. If I do the Primitivo first then get the bus to Porto will I avoid the covid test or is it required to book a bus from Spain to Portugal?

Also according to the vistportugal website "It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in Tourist accommodation, upon check-in". I am double vaxed but in the UK which is not part of the EU scheme. Does that mean I would need a new test every 48 hours? If so then I guess I will have to stick with Spanish caminos.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Your UK vaccine certificate will suffice. I have not heard of anyone ever asking to see one anywhere outside the airport, however. No way will you have to be tested to check into a hotel!

 

[Wendy Werneth]

No way will you have to be tested to check into a hotel!

I'm sorry but you are very misinformed. You ARE required to show proof of vaccination or a test when checking into any accommodation in Portugal (hotels, AirBnBs, albergues, etc.).

However, a UK proof of vaccination is also accepted in this case. Here's what it says in the FAQ secion of the official government website:

Q: É necessário apresentar o Certificado ou um teste com resultado negativo para ficar hospedado num hotel ou num estabelecimento de alojamento local?

A: Sim. Todos os hóspedes, com exceção dos menores de 12 anos, devem apresentar o Certificado ou um teste com resultado negativo no momento do check-in. Esta exigência é válida para todo o território continental.

Os turistas provenientes do Reino Unido que tenham um comprovativo de vacinação completa reconhecido para efeitos de entrada no nosso país podem também apresentá-lo no momento do check-in.

No caso de um cliente apresentar um teste positivo no momento do check-in no estabelecimento turístico, o estabelecimento deve adotar as medidas vertidas no plano de contingência para a deteção de um caso positivo, sendo que, se aí previsto, pode o hóspede ficar alojado no estabelecimento em causa, desde que em isolamento profilático.



I would also be very surprised if you had to show a test when booking a bus. I've traveled this route by train recently and was not required to show anything.

 

[Kathor1]

@simoneva, @Wendy Werneth who lives in Portugal and has a lot of Camino walking experience has already given you excellent information about current conditions for access to albergues in Portugal.

As to the bus trip from Spain to Portugal and in case you want to see fairly official information: On the EU's Reopen Europa website, you can check the conditions for trips from Spain to Portugal (https://reopen.europa.eu/en/from-to/ESP/PRT) and it says explicitly: Arrival by road or train from Spain is possible without restrictions, i.e. no proof of vaccination or negative test is required, and if you have walked the Primitivo before you get on the bus to Spain you are no longer considered as coming from the UK and merely transiting Spain on the way to Portugal, and this definitely applies to you.

Buen Camino!

 

[jungleboy]

Os turistas provenientes do Reino Unido que tenham um comprovativo de vacinação completa reconhecido para efeitos de entrada no nosso país podem também apresentá-lo no momento do check-in.

Rough translation: Visitors coming from the UK who have proof of complete vaccination recognised for the purpose of entry into Portugal can present this at the moment of check-in.

 

[Thomas1962]

Galician albergues did have a maximum of 30% capacity which was nearly going up to 75%, with the rule that albergues had to ask for a test of proof of vaccin. At the last moment this new rule was not put in operation, in the end the capacity went to 50% without the tests. So in Galicia you can enter every albergue without test or proof.
Nobody knows now how further developments will be, especially not when there might be a rise of infections while fall is coming closer.

 

[Colette Z]

I am hoping to do the primitivo and portuguese routes starting on 15th September. Spain accepts my UK vaccine but Portugal apparently requires a pre-flight test. If I do the Primitivo first then get the bus to Porto will I avoid the covid test or is it required to book a bus from Spain to Portugal?

Also according to the vistportugal website "It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in Tourist accommodation, upon check-in". I am double vaxed but in the UK which is not part of the EU scheme. Does that mean I would need a new test every 48 hours? If so then I guess I will have to stick with Spanish caminos.

Im booking some early October accommodation on booking.com (I’ve never done it before for my Camino but….) from Lisbon and ALL guest houses/albergues/hotels are telling me I need a neg Covid test to checkin but they say it’s only €3 at the pharmacy.

 

[TFisch]

@simoneva, @Wendy Werneth who lives in Portugal and has a lot of Camino walking experience has already given you excellent information about current conditions for access to albergues in Portugal.

As to the bus trip from Spain to Portugal and in case you want to see fairly official information: On the EU's Reopen Europa website, you can check the conditions for trips from Spain to Portugal (https://reopen.europa.eu/en/from-to/ESP/PRT) and it says explicitly: Arrival by road or train from Spain is possible without restrictions, i.e. no proof of vaccination or negative test is required, and if you have walked the Primitivo before you get on the bus to Spain you are no longer considered as coming from the UK and merely transiting Spain on the way to Portugal, and this definitely applies to you.

Buen Camino!

We are from the US and hope to hike the final 100KM beginning October 9th. We have plans to bus/train or car share to Porto after our hike. Do we need another COVID test to cross the border into Portugal from Spain? I know this is fluid situation just trying to clarify all the information being provided. Appreciate ALL of you and your input.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'm sorry but you are very misinformed. You ARE required to show proof of vaccination or a test when checking into any accommodation in Portugal (hotels, AirBnBs, albergues, etc.).

I'm pretty sure she meant you wouldn't have to HAVE a test every 48 hours (as the OP suggests) AT the hotel before you were allowed to stay.

 

[Kathor1]

We are from the US and hope to hike the final 100KM beginning October 9th. We have plans to bus/train or car share to Porto after our hike. Do we need another COVID test to cross the border into Portugal from Spain? I know this is fluid situation just trying to clarify all the information being provided. Appreciate ALL of you and your input.

There are no restrictions when crossing the land border between Spain and Portugal in either direction, i.e. no obligation to have proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test.

Earlier this year, at the beginning of June, Spain unilaterally introduced such an obligation for land traffic from Portugal into Spain; there was an immediate negative reaction and the Spanish government abolished this obligation within a few days. So: at the Spanish-Portuguese land border and in both directions: no control and no obligation to have recent negative test results.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I'm sorry but you are very misinformed. You ARE required to show proof of vaccination or a test when checking into any accommodation in Portugal (hotels, AirBnBs, albergues, etc.).

However, a UK proof of vaccination is also accepted in this case. Here's what it says in the FAQ secion of the official government website:

Q: É necessário apresentar o Certificado ou um teste com resultado negativo para ficar hospedado num hotel ou num estabelecimento de alojamento local?

A: Sim. Todos os hóspedes, com exceção dos menores de 12 anos, devem apresentar o Certificado ou um teste com resultado negativo no momento do check-in. Esta exigência é válida para todo o território continental.

Os turistas provenientes do Reino Unido que tenham um comprovativo de vacinação completa reconhecido para efeitos de entrada no nosso país podem também apresentá-lo no momento do check-in.

No caso de um cliente apresentar um teste positivo no momento do check-in no estabelecimento turístico, o estabelecimento deve adotar as medidas vertidas no plano de contingência para a deteção de um caso positivo, sendo que, se aí previsto, pode o hóspede ficar alojado no estabelecimento em causa, desde que em isolamento profilático.



I would also be very surprised if you had to show a test when booking a bus. I've traveled this route by train recently and was not required to show anything.

Gee Wendy. I won't try helping out anybody again when you're around.

 

[CalgaryLynn]

I am hoping to do the primitivo and portuguese routes starting on 15th September. Spain accepts my UK vaccine but Portugal apparently requires a pre-flight test. If I do the Primitivo first then get the bus to Porto will I avoid the covid test or is it required to book a bus from Spain to Portugal?

Also according to the vistportugal website "It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in Tourist accommodation, upon check-in". I am double vaxed but in the UK which is not part of the EU scheme. Does that mean I would need a new test every 48 hours? If so then I guess I will have to stick with Spanish caminos.

To answer your question re: accommodations. Just today, I got an email from a place I will be staying on the Portuguese Coastal route who was asking all guests to have an EU digital certificate. I explained that in Canada we only have the paper certificates and they responded back "That is good, we accept those too."

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Gee Wendy. I won't try helping out anybody again when you're around.

By all means please do help people, but spreading wrong information is not helpful. You stated quite confidently that there was "no way" someone would have to be tested to check into a hotel, and that is the exact opposite of the current reality in Portugal.

In response to @Anniesantiago statement that "I'm pretty sure she meant you wouldn't have to HAVE a test every 48 hours (as the OP suggests) AT the hotel before you were allowed to stay.":

Anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination WILL have to show test results from the last 24, 48 or 72 hours (depending on the type of test) before checking into accommodation. Alternatively, they can take a self-test on the spot at the entrance to the accommodation.

Here is the official rule as per the Estamos On government website:

Q: Que testes são aceites, para efeitos de apresentação do comprovativo de teste negativo?

A: São aceites 4 tipos de testes:

1- Teste PCR, realizado nas 72 horas anteriores à sua apresentação;

2- Teste de antigénio com relatório laboratorial, realizado nas 48 horas anteriores à sua apresentação;

3- Teste rápido de antigénio na modalidade de autoteste, realizado nas 24 horas anteriores à sua apresentação na presença de um profissional de saúde ou da área farmacêutica que certifique a sua realização e o seu resultado;

4- Teste rápido de antigénio na modalidade de autoteste, realizado no momento, à porta do estabelecimento que se pretende frequentar, sob verificação dos responsáveis por estes espaços.

 

[Former member 98733]

I am hoping to do the primitivo and portuguese routes starting on 15th September. Spain accepts my UK vaccine but Portugal apparently requires a pre-flight test. If I do the Primitivo first then get the bus to Porto will I avoid the covid test or is it required to book a bus from Spain to Portugal?

Also according to the vistportugal website "It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in Tourist accommodation, upon check-in". I am double vaxed but in the UK which is not part of the EU scheme. Does that mean I would need a new test every 48 hours? If so then I guess I will have to stick with Spanish caminos.

We are starting the Portuguese Central Route on September 16 so I contacted our Portugal hotels about this question. One said definitely yes before check-in, will need to have a PCR/72 hrs or Antigen/48 hrs test, two hotels said they will accept our CDC vaccination card. I think each hotel is following their own rules. We are bringing COVID test home kits (expensive, $12/each) but have seen here in other posts that you can get these locally for 2 to 3 euros.

 

[Wendy Werneth]

We are starting the Portuguese Central Route on September 16 so I contacted our Portugal hotels about this question. One said definitely yes before check-in, will need to have a PCR/72 hrs or Antigen/48 hrs test, two hotels said they will accept our CDC vaccination card. I think each hotel is following their own rules. We are bringing COVID test home kits (expensive, $12/each) but have seen here in other posts that you can get these locally for 2 to 3 euros.

Thanks for sharing this. The Portuguese government website only mentions the EU certificate and the UK document, so I think technically if you don't have either of these then they should require you to show test results. But it's not surprising that accommodation owners are interpreting the rules in various ways.

 

[Colette Z]

To answer your question re: accommodations. Just today, I got an email from a place I will be staying on the Portuguese Coastal route who was asking all guests to have an EU digital certificate. I explained that in Canada we only have the paper certificates and they responded back "That is good, we accept those too."

@Wendy Werneth @CalgaryLynn This week I’ve been booking accommodation for Oct 9th Lisbon to Oct 26th Porto (so far) and numerous have said my Canadian proof of vaccination is good for them vs others said I’ll need a test but that they are available at pharmacies and supermarkets for €3. Of course this could change before I fly Oct 6th but I’m hopeful. Word from the Camino in Portugal is that many do not request anything.

 

[simoneva]

BTW I emailed visitportugal and they have updated their website to reflect the government rules. Still only accept EU certificate at the airport but hotels should accept the UK one. My guess is that US CDC certificates will also be accepted at albergues/hotels. I doubt they will turn you away and worst case is you need to do a test where they demand it.

 

[Maria Man]

Actually I've been talking to pilgrims to Santiago from Lisbon and from Santiago to Lisbon, especially those who don't like to take the vaccine. Their experience with the albergues in Portugal is that the ones in big cities or more touristic places follow the "rules" while the ones in the small villages/towns doesn't care about the "rules".

Enjoy your camino and Ultreia !

Maria

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

BTW I emailed visitportugal and they have updated their website to reflect the government rules. Still only accept EU certificate at the airport but hotels should accept the UK one. My guess is that US CDC certificates will also be accepted at albergues/hotels. I doubt they will turn you away and worst case is you need to do a test where they demand it.

We checked into a hotel in Setübal last week, having arrived from Canada. They didn't require or even mention a test, but in a quite matter-of-fact way, photocopied our vaccine certificate cards, along with our passports as they often do.

 

[Annet2020]

It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in:
- Tourist accommodation, upon check-in (where in the case of tourists from the United Kingdom it is also acceptable to present a proof of complete vaccination recognized for the purpose of entering our country https://covid19estamoson.gov.pt);
- Meal service inside the restaurants, on Fridays from 7 pm, at weekends and on public holidays

From https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/covid-19-measures-implemented-portugal

I think albergues will be seen as tourist accommodation, just like hostels and hotels.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

It is mandatory to present EU COVID Digital Certificate or a negative test* in:
- Tourist accommodation, upon check-in (where in the case of tourists from the United Kingdom it is also acceptable to present a proof of complete vaccination recognized for the purpose of entering our country https://covid19estamoson.gov.pt);

I should add, from my previous post, that because I'm from Canada and thus do not have an EU certificate. As with UK tourists, I presented my Canadian proof of complete vaccination. The hotel was happy with that, even though the regulations don't specifically mention it, it seems.