Category: Camino in times of Covid

Registration of travelers in Galicia is a new method to apply and control security, and from Ideas Peregrinas we want to provide the most relevant information so that it does not pose any inconvenience and is as simple as possible. The Xunta de Galicia has implemented a series of sanitary-hygienic measures for the prevention of infection by the Sars-CoV-2 virus that affect pilgrims who decide to come visit us to do the Portuguese Way. For non-residents and those without primary care physicians, they are assigned a service telephone number 881 00 20 21 It is necessary to communicate the contact details through a form. It affects anyone who resides or not in Galicia, and who come or have been in the last 14 days in territories with a high epidemiological incidence due to COVID-19. The territories with a high epidemiological incidence are: From any of the countries of the African continent. From the following territories of the American continent: Argentina, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Montserrat, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Vicente and the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Suriname, Tortugas Islands, United States, Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Haiti, Jamaica and Nicaragua. From the following Asian territories: Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, the Maldives, Oman, Palestine, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan , Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Syria, Thailand and Vietnam. From the following European territories: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden and Ukraine. From the Autonomous Communities of Aragon, Catalonia, Navarra, the Basque Country and La Rioja. Registration link

Predicting of the Portuguese Way in times of Covid-19. There are many of you who ask us about the situation in Galicia for these next dates, questions about forecasts for this summer 2021 and other questions. That is why we have preferred to create a small one that seeks to provide an answer, although we always do so by consulting different sources and avoiding personal considerations.

We hope it helps you!

Galicia for Galicians this Easter.
In Galicia we continue with the perimeter closure so that only internal tourism can be made. Of course, it will be necessary to comply with the curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and hygiene-sanitary measures.
The idea of ​​this decision is that with a restrictive behavior this access limitation can be opened in the face of the summer season.

Pilgrim if you have the Camino de Santiago nearby

If you have the fortune to live on the Camino de Santiago that passes through your region, value pilgrimage!

Making the way isn´t only walking, it represents much more than that, it means living, thinking, discovering a cultural route, destinations and being in contact with the environment.
In Galicia you can make a pilgrimage along practically all the caminos, since there are only 9 municipalities with levels of restrictions.
In the case of the Portuguese Way, you can consult the shelters along the way here.
Anti-covid insurance
The Xunta will create insurance for tourists and pilgrims, in this way whoever decides to visit Galicia will have assistance and coverage for any mishap, including covid-19. The coverage will be extended to all non-resident visitors in the community who meet a series of requirements, including that the trip is limited to Galician territory, who arrive here for a period of less than thirty days and who prove their stay in regulated accommodation.

Current border closure

Now, in Spain, international travel is limited to work reasons.
Spain imposes a quarantine on travelers from Peru, Colombia and eight African countries. In addition, the Government maintains isolation for up to ten days for people arriving from South Africa and Brazil.
The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands are under strict confinements although with different levels waiting to be able to improve the situation.
Portugal and France have closed land borders and prohibited the movements of their inhabitants, except for exceptions such as the transport of goods or the passage of cross-border workers.

Here on the border of Tui there are collapses of up to two hours at rush hour, there are many neighbors from Portugal who come to work here and vice versa.
The press talks about the border closure being extended until April 6.

Forecasts for this summer

The European Union has limited travel between member countries and “non-essential” trips as much as possible. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance has made several recommendations to resume mobility with guarantees for this summer, the E-Health certificate is being proposed to verify the vaccination status in a quick and coordinated way, which would allow mobility for those people who have received immunity from Covid-19.

Book!

Once Easter passes we hope to have news about what the guidelines to follow will be. We know that the state of alarm ends on May 9 and we hope that all efforts will have a more positive impact so that this date can be as final as possible.
Therefore, from Ideas Peregrinas you can already reserve a closed date and to generate security in the process we ensure a free cancellation as long as it is done 3 days in advance.
So start planning with enthusiasm, we need it!

We don´t know if we will have helped you with these forecasts of the Portuguese Way in times of Covid-19 but if you have any questions or information to contribute, write to us!

Information to pilgrims in times of COVID is a section that we have decided to write and that we will update so that we can all have all the information possible.

Our recommendation is to stay at home, be careful and leave the camino plans for when the situation is better given the current situation and the ORDER of November 4, 2020 of Xunta de Galicia, where COVID prevention measures are established that require, among other things at the closure of the hotel business, mobility limits and convincing social meetings in 60 municipalities in Galicia.

However, we warn that there are pilgrims making the camino, there are many who need information to manage their journey because returning home means arriving at the airport in Santiago, something that we already experienced in March, so we want to make several clear points:

1. Can pilgrims go on their way?

Pilgrims can pass through the perimeter municipalities in transit, as long as it is solely and exclusively to continue their journey. Pilgrims who have already been on their way since October 30 will be able to access Santiago and spend the night in the capital.

Font: caminodesantiago.gal

2. What schedules must be taken into account?

Curfew throughout Galicia from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Curfew in 121 regions with the highest rate of infection in Portugal: 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and on weekends from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. 

3. What are the municipalities or territorial areas that affect the Camino Portuguese ?

Santiago, Ames, Boqueixón, Oroso, O Pino, Teo, Trazo, Val do Dubra y Vedra (cierre conjunto).

Pontevedra, Vilaboa, Ponte Caldelas, Poio, Marín, Barro, Campo Lameiro, Cerdedo-Cotobade y Soutomaior (cierre conjunto).

Vigo, Mos, Nigrán, Gondomar, O Porriño y Redondela (cierre conjunto).

Tui.

Consult: news La Voz de Galicia

4. Is it recommended to make an alternative route to avoid the affected municipalities?

There are pilgrims who are recommended to go to Monçao to cross to Salvaterra and from there to Poriño because thea people say tat  “it isn´t possible to cross to Tui”. We don´t recommend it, it is dangerous to travel through unrecognized routes, in addition Porriño is within an affected area, and as indicated in Turismo de Galicia, you can cross Tui in transit.

5. Can the albergues host?

According to the regulations of November 4, 2020, the albergues can be open. As it doesn´t appear in the list of non-essential activities, the common regulations for the rest of the councils will be applied, therefore, the maximum capacity will be 50%. In the case of Ideas Peregrinas, we have a minimum reception service for pilgrims who by necessity have to spend the night in Tui and always following the covid prevention protocol rules.

NOTE: Participate and write to us at home@ideas-peregrinas.com if you need to provide new information.