Vaccinated travelers to Madeira can skip COVID-19 testing

The picturesque island of Madeira is waiving COVID-19 testing requirements for those who are vaccinated and meet the country's entry requirements. Visitors must prove their status through an official vaccination certificate that includes the date of the two doses taken and the immunization period for each vaccine. The requirement can also be waived for those who can provide proof of recovery from the virus in the previous 90 days.

To qualify, documentation in English must be submitted to the Madeirasafe.com app before the trip is taken. The Madeira Promotion Bureau has described the new development as a "vote of confidence in this new phase the world is going through."

Traditional rural house with straw roof in Santana village, Madeira island, Portugal ©Pawel Kazmierczak/Shutterstock

Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal off the northwest coast of Africa. It's been crowned Europe's Leading Island Destination 2020 at the World Travel Awards, making it the overall award-winner for seven out of the past eight years.

Warmed year-round by the Atlantic sun, Madeira is known as the 'Pearl of the Atlantic' and is loved for its lush botanical gardens, wine tasting and, of course, the exhilarating toboggan rides in a wicker basket from Monte to Funchal. It is also an outdoor hotspot that attracts hikers, with its black sand beaches, towering rock walls, gushing streams and irrigation channels.

Passengers who aren't vaccinated but meet the country's entry requirements can still visit, but they are required to have a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours prior to boarding. If they arrive without it, they can take the test on arrival at the airport, and are required to quarantine at their destination until they receive the result. Those who don't take the test upon arrival are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days where they are staying.