Madeira and Porto Santo open to foreign tourists from July 1

Starting July 1, Madeira and Porto Santo will be fully open to international travellers. To ensure security for both tourists and residents, all people travelling to the islands will have to either present a health test done 72 hours prior to departure or be tested upon arrival, without any costs.

COVID-19 tests on arrival will be paid for by the Madeira Government.

Madeira is focused on positioning itself as a COVID-safe destination and are working with SGS, the world leader in certification, to ensure good practice across the destination to minimise risk in the wake of Covid-19. The certification process is available to all companies in the tourism sector.

The Portuguese outpost of Madeira has had very few cases of Covid-19 as it acted quickly to control the virus on the archipelago. Madeira has registered 90 positive cases of COVID-19 so far with 67 cases of recovery and no deaths.

Madeira is an island in the Atlantic, with relatively low visitor and transit numbers, making it an exceptionally safe holiday option.

Madeira is sparsely populated outside the capital, with some of the continent’s most striking landscapes and lush landscape, classified as UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in December 1999.

Porto Santo, the beach island off Madeira, only two and half hour away by ferry. It was the first beach in Europe to officially reopen after Covid-19 and has the added benefit of therapeutic sands – with scientifically proven properties to ease all manner of ailments. There are currently no restrictions to travel between the two islands.