OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Reopening Portugal?

[Tarisz]

We have tickets to Lisbon for May 28. Does anybody know a specific source where up-to-date information can be found about government regulations and the lifting of restrictions in Portugal? It seems we may have to wait until the last possible date with cancellation as many European countries now implement new reopening strategies.

 

[jungleboy]

This is the official site for Portugal's response to the virus (Portuguese language only).

Portugal is reopening, with phase two to begin on Monday (including the opening of museums/sites and opening of restaurants and bars at 50% capacity) and phase three on June 1 (including opening of all shops). As I understand it, there is currently no mandatory isolation period for those entering mainland Portugal.

 

[David Pettee]

I am wondering if any albuergues will be open in Portugal...

 

[camino.ninja]

We have tickets to Lisbon for May 28. Does anybody know a specific source where up-to-date information can be found about government regulations and the lifting of restrictions in Portugal? It seems we may have to wait until the last possible date with cancellation as many European countries now implement new reopening strategies.

There is a few people walking now. And there is accommodation all the way to the Spanish border. The municipal albergues are not open though. They will be the last to open.

But call Miguel from Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto. They are starting to open up and just got affordable private rooms. He can also help you finding accommodation along the route - he knows what is open.

And you might want to make a reservation in Porto too.

Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto
R. do Barão de Forrester 954
4050-350 Porto
Portugal

+351 22 014 0515
info@albergueperegrinosporto.pt

Bom Caminho,
Andy

 

[Sven Kaven]

There is a few people walking now. And there is accommodation all the way to the Spanish border. The municipal albergues are not open though. They will be the last to open.

But call Miguel from Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto. They are starting to open up and just got affordable private rooms. He can also help you finding accommodation along the route - he knows what is open.

And you might want to make a reservation in Porto too.

Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto
R. do Barão de Forrester 954
4050-350 Porto
Portugal

+351 22 014 0515
info@albergueperegrinosporto.pt

Bom Caminho,
Andy

Hey Andy, thanks so much

 

[camino.ninja]

Hey Andy, thanks so much

You're most welcome Sven, might see you there

 

[Josh G]

This is great to hear! I'm hanging out to go on camino. If I started walking mid June it might be a bit risky as to whether we will be able to cross over into Spain by the time we reach the border. What do you all think? I'm thinking of camping along the way so as to avoid pricey hostels.

 

[camino.ninja]

This is great to hear! I'm hanging out to go on camino. If I started walking mid June it might be a bit risky as to whether we will be able to cross over into Spain by the time we reach the border. What do you all think? I'm thinking of camping along the way so as to avoid pricey hostels.

I think the terrestial border between Portugal and Spain will not be open until July 1st at the earliest. But I think I'll bring some extra money and a sleeping pad just in case.

 

[Jcf-kiwi]

We have tickets to Lisbon for May 28.

What have you decided to do?? Here's some info in English about the reopening of Portugal:
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421175
Hope you've stocked up on face masks and sanitizer.

 

[Tarisz]

Unfortunately, our flight has been cancelled. We had to postpone our Camino.

 

[anthikes]

I live in Portugal and things are definitely progressing here and I know of a couple of albergues that have been open for a while now.

From Monday the 'Civic duty to stay at home' officially ends, so non essential travel is absolutely fine now. Reality is that a lot of people here have been travelling, going away for weekends etc for a while now anyway, but I thought I'd wait until it was official.

So it's good news. So many people wrote off this year but I remained optimistic that things could happen on the camino front. Just have to wait for the Spanish border to open now. I did read that might be from mid June, fingers crossed.

 

[Sven Kaven]

I live in Portugal and things are definitely progressing here and I know of a couple of albergues that have been open for a while now.

From Monday the 'Civic duty to stay at home' officially ends, so non essential travel is absolutely fine now. Reality is that a lot of people here have been travelling, going away for weekends etc for a while now anyway, but I thought I'd wait until it was official.

So it's good news. So many people wrote off this year but I remained optimistic that things could happen on the camino front. Just have to wait for the Spanish border to open now. I did read that might be from mid June, fingers crossed.

ThanksAnthikes, that was a very helpful info. will be in portugal from the 17th of june and start making my way up north than. buen camino.

 

[Josh G]

I live in Portugal and things are definitely progressing here and I know of a couple of albergues that have been open for a while now.

From Monday the 'Civic duty to stay at home' officially ends, so non essential travel is absolutely fine now. Reality is that a lot of people here have been travelling, going away for weekends etc for a while now anyway, but I thought I'd wait until it was official.

So it's good news. So many people wrote off this year but I remained optimistic that things could happen on the camino front. Just have to wait for the Spanish border to open now. I did read that might be from mid June, fingers crossed.

Great news thanks, @anthikes. I'm planning on visiting your beautiful country late June and walking from Porto. Awesome to hear some albergues are already open!

 

[jungleboy]

Now it looks like the Portuguese-Spanish border will be closed through the end of June, per this article in the Diário de Notícias this afternoon (in Portuguese). Currently the border is closed until the 15th of June, and there had been hope that it would open at that time.

"Se as próprias autoridades espanholas já disseram que antes de 01 de julho não haverá liberdade de circulação, provavelmente temos de manter encerrada a fronteira terrestre todo este mês de junho", admitiu o ministro da Administração Interna, Eduardo Cabrita.

Paraphrasing the Portuguese official: Given that the Spanish authorities have said there won't be internal freedom of movement before July 1st, we probably have to keep the border closed for all of June.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, even if you can’t go to Portugal, here are some recommendations of novels set in Portugal. I have read two, need to read a few more!

10 of the best novels set in Portugal – that will take you there

From a Saramago masterpiece to Monica Ali’s rural blues, via mountains, cities and coast, bookmark this reading list for a flavour of Portugal – and its people

www.theguardian.com

 

[malingerer]

There is a few people walking now. And there is accommodation all the way to the Spanish border. The municipal albergues are not open though. They will be the last to open.

But call Miguel from Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto. They are starting to open up and just got affordable private rooms. He can also help you finding accommodation along the route - he knows what is open.

And you might want to make a reservation in Porto too.

Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto
R. do Barão de Forrester 954
4050-350 Porto
Portugal

+351 22 014 0515
info@albergueperegrinosporto.pt

Bom Caminho,
Andy

Brilliant! have done the route from Porto but would like to truck up from Lisbon ( which I love) and so complete the route. Too old and infirm for Albergues so would use private accommodation anyway.

Buen Camhino,

The malingerer.

 

[Jcf-kiwi]

Well, even if you can’t go to Portugal, here are some recommendations of novels set in Portugal. I have read two, need to read a few more!

Many thanks for this link. Which two have you read, and do you recommend them?

 

[jungleboy]

Well, even if you can’t go to Portugal, here are some recommendations of novels set in Portugal. I have read two, need to read a few more!

10 of the best novels set in Portugal – that will take you there

From a Saramago masterpiece to Monica Ali’s rural blues, via mountains, cities and coast, bookmark this reading list for a flavour of Portugal – and its people

www.theguardian.com

Interesting premise because after 3.5 years here I'm still mostly in the non-fiction stage that he mentioned at the beginning in terms of learning about Portugal (also because I have to read non-fiction to prepare tours). The two non-fiction books he mentioned, Conquerers and The Portuguese, are two of the three that I recommend to people (the other being This Gulf of Fire about the earthquake).

Of the novels listed, I've only read Night Train to Lisbon. One of the problems I have is that I don't like reading in translation, especially if I can speak the original language to a reasonable degree. I tried to read a Saramago novel in Portuguese but it was extremely difficult because he doesn't use punctuation and sometimes his sentences can go for a whole page. I don't think that style really appeals to me, even though it would naturally be easier in translation. Of the others, The Return looks like the most interesting one to me so I might check it out, though I'm currently working on a long list of less literary Portuguese novels (Dan Brown style 'thrillers' by José Rodrigues dos Santos) that I'm reading more for language than culture.