Portugal top destination again as back on safe list
Sun-seekers are heading for the hot spots of Portugal as the country is put on the coronavirus travel safety list. The UK has imposed quarantine restrictions on countries with high coronavirus infection rates, while travellers returning from countries on the safe list will not need to self-isolate.
There has been a surge in search interest for Portugal holidays, after it was announced arrivals from the country will no longer need to quarantine.
Flight bookings for Portugal spiked more than 2,000 per cent immediately following the announcement, according to flight comparison site Skyscanner.
Jo McClintock, the company’s global brand director, said prices had not increased dramatically for the next seven days, with the average booking on Thursday only £32 more expensive than the previously highest fare this month.
Several easyJet flights from London airports to Portuguese destinations have been fully booked and Jet2 has added extra seats to Faro from across the UK.
Paul Charles, boss of travel consultancy tThe PC Agency which advises more than 30 firms, said: “It’s fantastic news about Portugal because it will have a late summer season and a strong autumn.”
Around three million Brits head to Portugal every year with the Algarve the most popular resort.
The Quinta do Lago golf resort in Algarve, Portugal, said its phones “had not stopped ringing” since the nation was given air bridge status.
Average cost of tickets to Algarve gateway Faro soared from £35 to £190 while flights to Lisbon rose from £55 to £185 within hours of Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ announcement.
The Algarve is the coastline of southern Portugal. It is a region of extreme diversity and contrasts; there is pristine natural scenery, traditional fishing villages through to party focused resort towns.
The sheer variety of the
Algarve means that it appeals to a wide range of tourists - families, thrill seekers or those seeking a cultural experience. Highlights include:
The Strip, Albufeira Its sheer variety of bars and drinks promotions rivals any of the other party destinations in Europe.
Cataplana meal A culinary highlight is a cataplana - seafood stew - which is cooked and served in a clam-shaped copper cooking pot. There are slight variations with meat, shellfish or fish varieties.
Ponta da Piedade Picturesque headland south of Lagos. Golden-coloured cliffs of miss-sharpened cliffs and jagged rock formations, have been carved out by savage winter storms that batter this coastline. Within the Ponta da Piedade are sea arches, hidden grottos and precari
ously balanced sea pillars, all encircled by the turquoise sea waters.
Capela dos Ossos, Bone Chapel, Faro
The Bone Chapel is one of the strangest and most macabre sights of the Algarve. In this creepy chapel, the bones of more than 1,100 monks line the walls and the skulls of the deceased are even used for decorative patterns.
The chapel lies in the grounds of the Igreja do Carmo, an elegant Baroque church.
The Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos hiking trail and the Benagil Cave
Cliff top trail weaves through some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Portugal with hidden cove beaches and partway along the route and much photographed Benagil Cave.
Travellers should be aware quarantine rules can change at short notice.