UK issues Portugal travel warning to Brits

London: The Foreign Office in the United Kingdom has warned travellers that intend to visit Lisbon in the upcoming days that public transport and other facilities will be more crowded due to the city hosting World Youth Day.

In a statement, the Foreign Office points out that during this period, Brits should expect more people in the Lisbon area, so should plan accordingly, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

The Pope is expected to visit Portugal as part of celebrations of World Youth Day, which will occur from August 1 to August 6.

“Be prepared for road closures and restrictions on accessing the city by car on days when major events are taking place. There will be enhanced security checks at land borders from July 22 to August 7,” the press release reads.

The same warns those planning to travel to Portugal by road to familiarise themselves with the authorised border crossing points and plan accordingly for the entry and exit periods to Portugal.

In addition to these celebrations, one of the reasons why visiting Portugal isn’t highly advised is related to a heat wave that is dominating the country.

A recent article by the Guardian reveals that areas of Spain and Portugal have recorded maximum temperatures of more than 30 celsius degrees for more than a week, while some parts have even experienced 40 celsius degrees temperatures.

The local Portuguese media have also warned that hot weather and dust clouds will be covering the country, causing extremely high temperatures.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere has warned that districts of Viana do Castelo, Viseu, Lisbon, Porto, Aveiro, Braga, Leiria, and Coimbra have been under yellow warning for this month due to forecasts of persistent high temperatures.

The same source predicts that for the next few days of dry and hot weather, the temperatures will continue to be above 30 degrees. In addition, the ultraviolet radiation index will also be high in the next few days, meaning that people that have to be exposed to the sun should be wearing protective gear such as hats and sunglasses as well as use sun protection.

Portugal is a very common destination for British holidaymakers, as a survey conducted by tech platform Vacaay revealed that Portugal is the third most favourite country for holidays for citizens of the UK, with Algarve being specifically mentioned.

The European country is popular among tourists seeking fun holidays and unforgettable experiences, as over 5.3 million people visited Portugal in May alone. These numbers are inflated in the summer season, with Portuguese beaches attracting millions of tourists.