- Time of past OR future Camino
- s2015 & 2016, w 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
We've been walking the costal in Portugal starting in Porto for a bit more than a week and will enter Spain tomorrow.
I thought there may be some interest in Covid and Portugal as we have experienced it. We entered Portugal from Tui, Spain by walking across the bridge. (We flew to Madrid, train to Santiago de Compostela, train to Vigo, taxi to Tui). There was no stop and no check for Covid vaccinations or testing for cars or pedestrians. Because testing was required we were tested in Tui at a farmacia on a walk in basis and received the needed certification paperwork in about 20 minutes at a cost at 18 euros each.
We are tripled vaccinated and have vaccination cards from the US. In about 1/3 of places we have eaten we were asked for our vaccination paperwork and in 1/2 of the places we have stayed we were asked for our vaccination paperwork. Everyone has accepted the US paperwork without objection and few people have commented that we are lucky to have be able to get 3 vaccinations. We have chosen to be careful and wear masks, eat outside, and stay in private rooms and so we have felt safe. In small towns, masks are mostly worn inside with a number of exceptions and in large town masks are worn everywhere.
A number of people have commented that we are the first Americans that they have seen on the Camino in more than a year. In the past week we have seen two pilgrims - one from France and one from Germany. That said, it has been great to back on the Camino and it is always a joy to be walking.
The Covid rules change in Portugal tomorrow and so your experience may be different than ours. As we understand it there will be a two-week lockdown and entry to hotels and restaurants will require a negative test but we'll walk across the border tomorrow about midday and so we'll miss it.
I thought there may be some interest in Covid and Portugal as we have experienced it. We entered Portugal from Tui, Spain by walking across the bridge. (We flew to Madrid, train to Santiago de Compostela, train to Vigo, taxi to Tui). There was no stop and no check for Covid vaccinations or testing for cars or pedestrians. Because testing was required we were tested in Tui at a farmacia on a walk in basis and received the needed certification paperwork in about 20 minutes at a cost at 18 euros each.
We are tripled vaccinated and have vaccination cards from the US. In about 1/3 of places we have eaten we were asked for our vaccination paperwork and in 1/2 of the places we have stayed we were asked for our vaccination paperwork. Everyone has accepted the US paperwork without objection and few people have commented that we are lucky to have be able to get 3 vaccinations. We have chosen to be careful and wear masks, eat outside, and stay in private rooms and so we have felt safe. In small towns, masks are mostly worn inside with a number of exceptions and in large town masks are worn everywhere.
A number of people have commented that we are the first Americans that they have seen on the Camino in more than a year. In the past week we have seen two pilgrims - one from France and one from Germany. That said, it has been great to back on the Camino and it is always a joy to be walking.
The Covid rules change in Portugal tomorrow and so your experience may be different than ours. As we understand it there will be a two-week lockdown and entry to hotels and restaurants will require a negative test but we'll walk across the border tomorrow about midday and so we'll miss it.
