516 Arouca Bridge: Hike and Paiva Walkways Adventure

Experience the thrill of walking across the 516 Arouca Suspension Bridge and explore the stunning Paiva River Valley on this guided tour. Marvel at breathtaking views, waterfalls, and cliffs along the Paiva Walkways.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Passadicos do Paiva - Walk along the Paiva Walkways, stop at scenic viewpoints to snap photos. See the famous zig-zag staircases, riparian forests, waterfalls, and cliffs of the gorge. Halfway through, take a break at Vau River Beach and restore your energy with some traditional snacks, juice, and fresh fruits.
    On hot days, take a dip in the river. From here to the end of the trail, get closer to the river. Feel the strength of the rapids through their roaring sounds. After the hike, be driven to the mountain area of Arouca.
  • Arouca Geopark - The Arouca Geopark, it’s a classified territory recognized by UNESCO from 2009, that gathers 41 Geosites within an area of 328 square kilometers. It defines Arouca as a territory with a special Geological Heritage, where you can find phenomena such as “Birthing Stones” and “Giant Trilobite Fossils” that are unique on the world and others like “Frecha da Mizarela”, the highest waterfall in mainland Portugal, the “Corn Bread Stones” or the “Union Stones”, and some more amazing attractions!
  • 516 Arouca - Ponte Suspensa - Prepare for the most exciting 516 meters of your life on the 516 Arouca Suspension Bridge, one of the longest suspension pedestrian bridges in the world. Be suspended by Tibetan-style steel cables in the sky, 175 meters above River Paiva and Aguieiras Waterfall.
What's Included
  • Tickets to the Paiva Walkways and the 516 Arouca Bridge
  • Interpretative Guide along the walk
  • Personal Accident Insurance
  • Photo Report
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Bottled water
  • All fees and/or taxes
Additional Information

Begin your journey in Alvarenga, where you’ll embark on a hike through historic village paths leading to the 516 Arouca Bridge.

Get ready for an exhilarating 516 meters on the 516 Arouca Suspension Bridge, one of the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridges. You’ll be suspended 175 meters above the Paiva River.

Continue on the Paiva Walkways, a wooden path constructed along the cliffs of the Paiva River. Please note: Due to recent forest fires in Portugal, a small section of the Paiva Walkways has been affected, resulting in minor changes to the activity. After crossing the bridge, you will be transported to Vau River Beach. From here, enjoy the riparian forests and the powerful sounds of the rapids until the end of the trail.

Finally, indulge in a Board of Typical Portuguese Charcuterie and Cheese with a drink. You can then choose between an Arouquesa Steak Sandwich, Arouquesa Beef Hamburger, Veggie Burger, or Tuna Sandwich (included in the “With Lunch” option).

  • Pessoas com mobilididade reduzida
  • Crianças com menos de 6 anos
Location
Just Come - Ponte 516 Arouca & Passadiços do Paiva - Walking Tour
Your Guide will be wearing a white T-shirt with a "Just Come" logo.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(31 Ratings)
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Cruiser65164588735
Sep 17, 2024
Immersion in nature and expert hand engineering. Lovely. - A beautiful mountain range, accessible by wooden passageways and an unforgettable experience over the 516 suspension bridge over the Paiva River. But the best part was Pedro Resende’s expert, attentive, generous and extraordinarily pleasant Guide to Why Not On Nature. One enjoyed by day, enjoying and learning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caseface2k
Aug 24, 2024
A Glowing Review for JustCome Tours of Arouca 516 - Our driver, Sergio as well a our tour/hiking guide Ines were spectacular. The trip commenced with a hotel pickup (very convenient) in Porto at 8:00am followed by the drive out 1.5 hours to Arouca. When booking the tour, we had the choice of renting a car and I'm glad we didn't, not because the drive itself was long or dangerous but it allowed us to take in the sights along the way on a very beautiful route into the mountains. After a brief coffee and bathroom break upon arrival in the Arouca town square, the tour itself began with an intro to the region and the background of the area followed by a short walk to the bridge. The bridge itself is magnificent and an architectural marvel and incredibly safe, even if you have a fear of heights, the bridge didn't shake or wobble substantially (people aren't allowed to run or jump on it, obviously). The views were magnificent. Following the bridge, we had a long (LONG) hike down the trail and the Paiva wooden walkway. If you aren't able bodied, be aware that this will be a taxing walk, going down the steps instead of up. The pathway itself is well constructed, but the wood in 5 years or so will probably begin deteriorating as it didn't seem fully weather proofed. I'd expect a lot of maintenance work on the wooden planks over the next few years to keep it up to standard. The walk itself was very scenic and was accompanied by a few breaks where our guide gave us information about the surroundings, and as we reached the halfway point, had the opportunity for drinks and sandwiches at a riverside bar and also a chance to take a dip in the river to cool off. In August, I'm glad I wore versatile shorts that I could get wet in! If this experience is the norm for other tour groups in Porto, I'd highly recommend a tour given by JustCome.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexandrine
Aug 11, 2024
It is a must! - Our Guide was adorable, patient and very attentive! Thank you Inès!!! 😉😉😉 We had a very nice time. The landscapes are beautiful! The ride is great even if we got a little hot. (The sun was on). The organization was top (bottles and snacks included).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Miranda
Aug 4, 2024
Nice walking tour in beautiful surroundings - A nice walk over the highest suspension bridge and the wooden bridges. We had a very nice guide who told a lot about nature and surroundings. She also took pictures in between which we later received via email. Finally, there was a cozy and tasty lunch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frederico
Jul 27, 2024
Phenomenal - An experiment to repeat... although there may be fears of heights I guarantee it is well worth it. Spectacular and attentive staff, explain a little about the history of the region and about the construction of the bridge.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shari_m
Jul 14, 2024
The suspension bridge was... - The suspension bridge was fun to walk on. The guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. The whole experience was very enjoyable and made for a wonderful day.
Review provided by Viator
Climber06666353488
Jul 3, 2024
Wonderful day in Arouca - The Arouca Suspension bridge and Paiva Walkways make a wonderful day out. Our whole experience was enhanced by our guide Joao (who happens to be a Biologist with a huge amount of knowledge). The whole experience was so well planned from the backpacks containing drinks and snacks, the knowledge and information given to the welcome lunch at the end of the trail. If you plan on visiting this area, this is the company to use to ensure you have a great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gary_c
Jun 3, 2024
Amazing hike and wonderful guides - Joao and the whole team at Just Come were amazing. Start to finish they accommodated everyone's needs in our group and the other groups on the tour, managing to deal with different levels of activity and departure times. Joao's knowledge of the biology, flora, and fauna of the area was outstanding and he dedicated time on the trail to speak with each and everyone of us. A 5-stars group of conscientious and kind individuals.
Review provided by Viator
Wolfgangss9616hn
May 19, 2024
Great tour with a memorable bridge. - Great tour with Arouca516 as the highlight. Ines from Just Come was the perfect tour guide. We experienced and learned a lot. An absolute recommendation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wiesch298
Apr 26, 2024
516 meters of adrenaline surrounded by beautiful nature 🏞️ - It was amazing to see the suspension bridge live and to cross it. The walk afterwards had its charm and our guide, João, gave us a lot of information. It was very interesting to learn more about the suspension bridge and the surroundings/nature. The way she guided us through the tour was great. Thank you for this experience and for having such a great, loving and friendly guide 😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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