Six tips for a stress-free Spanish holiday
After my little jaunt to Tenerife last week I thought it would be useful to share my own experience. Along with a few tips for those considering travelling to Spain but still a little unsure about the rules.
It may sound a bit of a faff, but it really was very straightforward, even with kids and - not particularly tech-savvy - grandparents in tow.
As long as you’re prepared with the correct paperwork it is worth every minute. We had a fabulous time enjoying the sun, delicious food and fabulous wine. And after two years the children were thrilled to be back on a beach and splashing in the pool.
The below is based on my own experience of travelling to Tenerife during February half term. Entry requirements differ for every destination and are of course changing all the time. Rest assured when you book with me I’ll guide you through every step specific to your destination's requirements.
Also, there are now no tests to do on return. Just lots and lots of laundry!
Six Tips for Spain
1. For Spain, including all Canary and Balearic islands, there is no testing whatsoever required for entry (as long as you’re fully vaxxed)
2. You must complete the Spanish travel health form (SPTH) before your outbound flight. This can seem like a daunting task - it’s pretty long and there are a few ambiguous sections. However, it’s actually straightforward once you get going. I have a useful step-by-step guide I can share which makes the whole process super easy and means you'll avoid any pitfalls.
3. The SPTH generates a QR code which you need to show to enter Spain. However, we were not asked to show this again at any other point during our holiday apart from at hotel check in. Nothing was required for entry into restaurants, bars, theme parks etc.
4. Mask wearing is still pretty strict in Spain, even for children. Very few people wore them outside though and were not required at the beach or pool apart from at the bars.
5. To return home you must complete the UK Passenger Locator Form (PLF) within 48 hours of your inbound flight. This is a very simple form and you can add children to your own form.
6. I strongly recommend you either print this UK PLF form or save it to your phone’s offline ‘files’ folder so that you can easily access it at the airport. I saw so many passengers delayed at check-in trying to connect to the internet to access their PLF. You should also save (or print off) your NHS Covid pass in case you’re asked to show this at the airport (we were).
Happy travels!