Andyj100

We are planning to visit Porto 5th to 14th January next year. By a wonderful coincidence this is now during lockdown week.

We live in Brazil but are travelling via France, and have our Pass Sanitaires based on the brazilian vaccinations already. I know we will need PCR tests before we leave Paris.

The plan was to chat with estate agents about buying a flat to retire to, maybe off-plan. I was also hoping to get the feel of the city in the winter.

How dead will things be? Do you think “working from home” will just be an excuse for “shirking from home” and an extended holiday? Will museums and that sort of thing be closed?

at the moment I can cancel the Airbnb and get a refund on the flights.

dingg

I'd reschedule tbh, but no one has a crystal ball

Last time we were unable to travel from one council to another and the rules are enforced strictly...

Alan PT

The stated objective is to minimise contacts, so I'd expect everything non-essential to be closed. Working from home does mean working, so I'd expect estate agents to be happy to chat with you remotely, but you can just as easily do that from Brazil

macliam

IMHO you wiull be wasting your time if you hope to get anything concrete done during that period.......

I certainly wouldn't fly inernationally with that intention - and I wouldn't travel interbnationally whilst there's a new wave of infections in play.

dmu

Hi from the France forum!
Keep an eye on the French News re the Covid regulations. They can change from one day to the next. They announced today that travellers arriving in France from ANYWHERE must do a PCR test upon arrival, even if they're vaccinated twice. And at the moment, the Pass Sanitaires covering 2 vaccinations won't be valid after 15th December "plus 5 weeks", which means that you would best have your 3rd booster jab before leaving Brazil. Are you sure that a Brazilian QR Certificate is acceptable in the EU?
Anyway, post directly in the France forum where the rules are regularly updated.... Will you be flying to Porto from Paris, or driving through France and Spain?
I agree with the others that it might be advisable to postpone your trip. There's no guarantee that you'd be able to fly to France and pass from one EU country to another. And if, as you say, Portugal is in lockdown that week, there doesn't seem any point in being stuck in an AirBnB and not being able to visit property. Lockdown means lockdown, anything non-essential is closed....
HTH
P.S. My bad, the radio didn't clarify that travellers arriving from outside the EU must present a negative PCR test dated less than 48 hrs, but you probably planned this, anyway.

Loafing Along

What you need to know as at today - what you can and cannot do, what may be open or closed etc
https://postal.pt/saude/2021-12-01-O...-vida-bfc649db

Andyj100

thanks for the replies. I'm hoping things don't get worse and we can get to France, at least. I inherited an apartment in France, so I really need some time there sorting things out, and I can do that with minimal contact with the outside world. There was a stage when non-French Covid certificates could be uploaded and a French QR code sent out, so that's sorted. I understand this is now done in pharmacies. In Brazil we only just had our second doses, so it's too early for a 3rd. I've done so many PCR tests they seem just part of life now.

The Portuguese situation seems strange. The PCR test requirement is fine, it seems easy to book a test in a French pharmacy prior to departure from CDG. I won't notice the nightclubs being closed. From the websites I've seen, there is no talk about banning inter-municipal travel or closing non-essential businesses. I'd assumed that was going to be a quiet week anyway.

Probably the head says postpone the trip, but after a year and a half without a holiday, the heart says go for it. I'll give it a 10 days to see how nasty the new variant is.

Loafing Along

Yesterday's press conference the Prime Minister adopted a cautious tone - new measures may be necessary before Christmas as figures rose again, highest since February, and were probably under-reported as it was a national holiday.

Nand

I get the feeling cases of CovSars2 are going up and no one really seems to want to say for sure why. Fair to say the vaccinations are not preventing infection or the spread of the virus, whatever its name.

For me I would not go, I have been hearing too many stories about getting stranded, stuck in a Covid hotel, expensive problems. The 'health pass' is sort of void in some places like Germany for example.

Andyj100

I see the regulation is appearing on the travel websites…”Test: Passengers aged 12 years and older must hold a negative PCR test result or an antigenic test result taken less than 48 hours old prior to boarding.”
I don’t think I could have chose a worse day to travel than 26th December to meet that!
I've just asked Priscilla, my PCR lady, what the best strategy will be…I would never have believed I’d be on first name terms with an infectious diseases testing service

campos

See Safe Communities site too-
https://www.safecommunitiesportugal....november-2021/
Neg test for all arrivals, vaccinated or not

Andyj100

thanks for the link. the thought that everyone on the plane has a negative PCR test is reassuring. I wear a mask everywhere anyway, I think, if there are no changes I will go.

BillBullock

........or negative antigen test for entry to Portugal.

Andyj100

Well, what a rollercoaster ride it’s been! I’ve not cancelled the trip yet. I’m recovering from flu..Brazil has managed to have a bit of an epidemic going on…it was mild flu, I had a negativePCR test today.

I think we will go for it, for the first leg in France at least. I have a flat there we could isolate in if needs be.

If get that far, they do no-appointment antigen testing at the RER at Les Halles station, conveniently on the way the the airport for the Porto flight.

i would like to have a week wandering round Porto as a ghost town.

Loafing Along

We were there last year for New Year - wrap up warm and be prepared for gloomy weather - the humidity just adds to the chill . Cold aside, lovely place to be