LISBON: Portugal will open to tourists from nearly all European countries from Monday, the interior ministry said, following months of restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The vacation hotspot hopes to jump-start a tourism comeback after one of the country’s most vital industries was brought to a standstill by the pandemic. Travelers from most EU countries, the 26-nation Schengen Area and the UK can make “all types of visits to Portugal, including even non-essential visits,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday. But travel from countries with coronavirus rates above 500 cases per 100,000 residents during the last 14 days will remain restricted to essential trips — currently affecting Cyprus, Croatia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden. The ministry stressed restrictions also remained on non-European countries including Brazil, India and South Africa. Under the rules, all passengers above two years old heading to the country will still have to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before embarking. Airlines that allow passengers to travel without the test will face a fine of between 500 euros ($610) and 2,000 euros per passenger. The announcement came a day after Lisbon lifted restrictions on Britain, one of its most important sources of tourists, which sent some two million visitors to Portugal annually before Covid-19 hit.