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Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

Holiday Ideas & Foreign Travel
Clariman
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Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#470884

Postby Clariman » January 6th, 2022, 4:19 pm

We haven't been abroad for 23 months. Our last trip was to Andalucia in Feb 2020. Some sun and warmer weather are quite appealing at the moment, so I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling to or from Spain - or other similar European countries.

Of course, the rise of Omicron could put any ideas on hold but I might be up for booking something cancellable.

Thanks
C

AsleepInYorkshire
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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#470975

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 6th, 2022, 8:05 pm

Clariman wrote:We haven't been abroad for 23 months. Our last trip was to Andalucia in Feb 2020. Some sun and warmer weather are quite appealing at the moment, so I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling to or from Spain - or other similar European countries.

Of course, the rise of Omicron could put any ideas on hold but I might be up for booking something cancellable.

Thanks
C

We popped to Tenerife in August 2021. We had to do covid tests departing and returning. I think we did both LF & PCR. Whilst in Tenerife we learned they were very close to being shut down. We stayed by the poolside bar one day.

I think this comes down to risk/health issues. If covid would be an issue due to underlying health conditions I'd be less willing to go on holiday. That aside when we went Omicron didn't exist.

AiY

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#471547

Postby SoBo65 » January 9th, 2022, 2:04 pm

We have just cancelled our trip to Antigua for end of January (with full refund of deposit), mainly because having recently Covid did not want to fall foul of a false positive PCR test and instead booked 11 nights in Tenerife where there are some extraordinary deals at the moment and no testing required, except 2 day test when arrived back.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#471572

Postby MaraMan » January 9th, 2022, 3:48 pm

We have been to Spain and Gran Canaria in the last three months, and a friend is currently a week into her holiday in Spain. There really wasn't any problem at all, I will be going back in the next month or two.

MM

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#471903

Postby zico » January 10th, 2022, 11:19 pm

Went to Northern Portugal for 2 weeks in November, which was great. Flew to Porto (Ryanair, masks were enforced on the plane) and hired a car. Stayed about 15 miles north of Porto for a week just back from the coast, travelling to various almost-deserted beaches, nice cities inland, then national park area near border. Few days in Cascais/Guincho beach (a few miles west of Lisbon), and a night at walled town of Obidos in between. (About 3 1/2 hours drive Porto-Lisbon on quiet motorways).

Portugal had very high vaccine coverage, and when Omicron variant emerged as a concern halfway through our trip, people noticeably took more precautions. Felt pretty safe out and about, and eating in restaurants (much more so than in UK). Very quiet roads outside cities (tolls on motorways). Surprisingly cheap in areas north of Porto - not mass tourism areas, but certainly nice places to spend some time.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#472251

Postby TaurusTheBull » January 12th, 2022, 4:33 am

I was in Spain in September, no problem, my vaccine passport was attached to my Ryanair boarding pass. Online immigration form needed for Spain, within 48 hours of flying, to check health status. I think an online form was required when leaving (I was flying across the Atlantic), but I can't remember.

Air travel has become so tedious in the last 18 months, with endless hoops to jump through.

Taurus

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#472380

Postby Lootman » January 12th, 2022, 2:23 pm

TaurusTheBull wrote:I was in Spain in September, no problem, my vaccine passport was attached to my Ryanair boarding pass. Online immigration form needed for Spain, within 48 hours of flying, to check health status. I think an online form was required when leaving (I was flying across the Atlantic), but I can't remember.

Air travel has become so tedious in the last 18 months, with endless hoops to jump through.

Simply flying somewhere and back is not too onerous under current rules.

What is more messy is multi-country itineraries. That involves having tests and completing online forms whilst you are overseas, which is always less predictable.

I have used both an online proof of vaccination and the physical card as documentation. Both have been accepted.

I read recently that France and Holland will be starting to require proof of a third booster jab soon.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#472618

Postby TaurusTheBull » January 13th, 2022, 4:41 am

Lootman - yes and no. I have never taken a Covid test as I have never had Covid symptoms (famous last words), and I largely consider such requirements farcical (given that the disease is endemic).

There are 3 countries outside the EU, of which I am aware, that do not erect such barriers - Albania, Colombia (though proof of vaccination now required) and Mexico. I got my booster in Colombia, but Britain being Britain, this has been accepted by my GP but not by NHS Digital. Plus ca change....

For me, it's a big hassle flying anywhere these days, that's why I stay longer. But, if not the EU, then UK may require me to take a test to get home after Easter, unless the Omicron scaremongering recedes over the next 3 months.

Taurus

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#476944

Postby AF62 » January 28th, 2022, 6:15 pm

Clariman wrote:I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling to or from Spain - or other similar European countries.


I am in Spain at the moment (sat outside drinking a beer enjoying the setting sun at 20 past six, rather than being huddled up inside in the UK).

Spain is being picky if you are aged over 12 and not fully vaccinated, including the booster.

But if you are fully vaccinated it was a simple online form to fill in and upload the QR code from your NHS proof of vaccination. That generated a QR code to show on arrival whilst having a quick temperature check (no COVID test), and then on your way.

I had a similar experience flying to Madeira in December for a couple of weeks - form to fill, QR code generated, no COVID test.

However when I went to Gibraltar in October they did require a COVID test on arrival.

My only word of caution is to consider what happens if you test positive out here.

Having traveled on a cruise ship down to Spain and Portugal last September (living dangerously, I know), Portugal required a COVID test before entry (although Spain didn’t). Several people on the ship tested positive when they did their tests for Lisbon, but as we were In Cadiz when the tests were done the Spanish authorities demanded the infected passengers (and the people they had been sharing a cabin with who had tested negative) were taken off and sent to a quarantine hotel for two weeks.

Aside from the inconvenience, the issue seemed to be that the passengers insurance would pay for the quarantine hotel if they were infected, but not if they were not and had just been dragged along as a close contact. As it turned out the cruise line paid up for those the insurance didn’t cover, but if travelling independently it could be more an issue.

Anyway, not many people travelling at the moment as the flight out here last week to the Canary Islands was virtually empty - every person on the flight could have had a seat row to themselves.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#476970

Postby swill453 » January 28th, 2022, 10:00 pm

AF62 wrote:Anyway, not many people travelling at the moment as the flight out here last week to the Canary Islands was virtually empty - every person on the flight could have had a seat row to themselves.

Our flight out to Madeira on Monday was pretty much full. Though they had consolidated a Glasgow and Edinburgh flight.

Scott.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#477041

Postby Clariman » January 29th, 2022, 12:12 pm

We are considering flying to Malaga and hiring a car to drive to Cadiz or somewhere in that region

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#477104

Postby bluedonkey » January 29th, 2022, 4:50 pm

Clariman wrote:We are considering flying to Malaga and hiring a car to drive to Cadiz or somewhere in that region

We're doing similar, though driving east instead to say, Nerja or Granada.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#477112

Postby bluedonkey » January 29th, 2022, 5:05 pm

bluedonkey wrote:
Clariman wrote:We are considering flying to Malaga and hiring a car to drive to Cadiz or somewhere in that region

We're doing similar, though driving east instead to say, Nerja or Granada.

Also worth mentioning that a lot of Brits seem to ignore staying in Malaga for a few days which I think is a mistake. Worth having at least 2 nights there before heading off at the start of the holiday / or back to the airport at the end.

Clariman
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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#478181

Postby Clariman » February 2nd, 2022, 10:56 pm

For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#478183

Postby swill453 » February 2nd, 2022, 11:07 pm

Clariman wrote:For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.

I don't know if Portugal has the same rules, but in Madeira we found:
- Indoors (shops, bars and restaurants when not eating) and on public transport, mask wearing was 100%.
- In the city outdoors, compliance was about 50%. We didn't wear masks when outdoors, and didn't feel pressure to do so.
- In the countryside outdoors hardly anyone wore a mask.

Scott.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#478766

Postby AF62 » February 5th, 2022, 1:44 pm

Clariman wrote:For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.


Am in Spain at the moment (Canary Islands - 23c and almost too warm to sit out in the sun…)

Although masks outdoors is the law it isn’t being followed by most - I would estimate probably 20% or so of locals but only 1% or less of tourists, with the exception of crowded areas like markets when the figures rise to 100% of locals and 80% plus of tourists (although if it is an organised market there tends to be security guards enforcing it so that also rises to 100%).

In shops mask wearing is 100% by everyone, restaurants and bars 100% by the staff and 90% plus for customers as they enter or leave.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#481295

Postby AF62 » February 18th, 2022, 12:18 pm

Clariman wrote:For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.


To update, face masks officially not required when outside in Spain from the 9th Feb - https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/latest-news/

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#481335

Postby bluedonkey » February 18th, 2022, 3:28 pm

In Malaga now. Entry with Spain Travel Health QR code was straightforward, but all were checked.

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#481339

Postby Clariman » February 18th, 2022, 3:50 pm

AF62 wrote:
Clariman wrote:For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.


To update, face masks officially not required when outside in Spain from the 9th Feb - https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/latest-news/

Oh ******. We've decided to holiday in Yorkshire on the basis that we didn't want to wear masks outside all day. Looking forward to the British storms

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Re: Experiences of recent travel to and from Spain?

#483436

Postby Clitheroekid » February 28th, 2022, 9:03 pm

AF62 wrote:
Clariman wrote:For those who have been to Spain how did you find having to wear masks outdoors all the time? That's the only thing putting us off at the moment.


Am in Spain at the moment (Canary Islands - 23c and almost too warm to sit out in the sun…)

Although masks outdoors is the law it isn’t being followed by most - I would estimate probably 20% or so of locals but only 1% or less of tourists, with the exception of crowded areas like markets when the figures rise to 100% of locals and 80% plus of tourists (although if it is an organised market there tends to be security guards enforcing it so that also rises to 100%).

In shops mask wearing is 100% by everyone, restaurants and bars 100% by the staff and 90% plus for customers as they enter or leave.

Having just returned from Gran Canaria this was also my experience. Hardly anyone was wearing a mask in the streets, and the shops and restaurants we went to didn't seem bothered, either.

We used the local ferries quite extensively, and occasionally they would ask people to wear a mask when boarding, but then when almost everyone took them off on the boat the crew didn't say anything.

The only places where mask wearing was (mildly) enforced were the airport and the local bus services.

With regard to the actual travelling to and from GC it was pretty much like normal. We had to upload the Spanish QR code before flying, which was easy enough, and we also had to complete the irritating (and surely by now quite pointless) Passenger Locator Form before returning.

We also had to wear masks on the plane, though a lot of people, having removed them to eat or drink `forgot' to replace them, and weren't told off by the crew. Otherwise it was just like flying in 2019 (though now you get passport stamps!)


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