It just got easier for international travelers to visit the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. The Madeira Regional Tourism Board has announced that entry restrictions no longer apply to international visitors to the island.

Madeira removes entry restrictions for travelers

International visitors to Madeira will no longer be required to present COVID-19 travel documents after entry regulations have been dropped. The Madeira Regional Tourism Board said in a statement: “There are no restrictions on the entry of travelers at the airports, ports and marinas of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.”

What does this mean for travelers?

Basically, all travelers, regardless of their country of origin, can now enter the Autonomous Region of Madeira with no entry requirements. This means they no longer need to provide proof of vaccination, recovery from the virus, or a negative test result on arrival.

However, travelers are still recommended to register their visit prior to arriving in Madeira. The website states that all visitors are recommended to complete the epidemiological survey of the Regional Health Authority on the Madeira Safe digital platform.

Certain COVID-19 measures are still in place

While Madeira has dropped its entry requirements, the archipelago still has general COVID-19 measures in place. The official tourism website for Madeira states that the use of face masks is still mandatory in both open and enclosed areas. Meanwhile, the rule applies to locals and tourists over the age of six.

On top of this, certain venues still require proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus. These include restaurants, bars, nightclubs, theaters, gyms and other indoor spaces. However, authorities do state that unvaccinated patrons can also access these places by providing a negative rapid antigen test.

When in Madeira, rapid antigen tests are valid for seven days. This makes life easier for unvaccinated travelers to gain entry to various public places and events without having to undergo several antigen tests.

Portugal’s regulations

Meanwhile, mainland Portugal is different from Madeira in that COVID-19 entry rules are still in place. Any traveler wishing to travel to Portugal from Madeira must follow the normal entry measures.

Portugal’s official travel website, Visit Portugal, outlines the requirements. The website states that travelers will still need to present valid proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from the virus, or a recent negative test result.

Currently, Portugal accepts vaccination certificates stating that the holder has had the full vaccination doses within the last 270 days.

Portugal also accepts proof of recovery from the virus. However, the holder must have recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 180 days. Relating to a COVID-19 test, authorities state that PCR tests must be taken within 72 hours of travel. Meanwhile, rapid antigen tests must have been taken within 24 hours of arriving in Portugal.

What’s happening in Madeira?

Theater lovers planning on heading to Madeira should note that from March 18 to 27, the island is hosting the “Amo-Teatro” Festival.

Meanwhile, from May 5 to 29, Madeira will be hosting its annual Flower Festival. At that time, the streets of Madeira will literally be filled with colorful blooms.