Enjoy the Paiva Walkways, cross one of the longest suspension bridges in the world and discover the local culture in the little town of Arouca on this guided day trip from Porto.
About this activity
- Free cancellation
- Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
- Reserve now & pay later
- Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
- Duration 8 hours
- Check availability to see starting times.
- Live tour guide
- English
- Small group
- Limited to 8 participants
Experience
Itinerary
Starting location:
Calçada de Vandoma
Van
(50 minutes)
Arouca
Break time (15 minutes)
Passadiços do Paiva Trailhead
Hiking, Scenic views on the way (2.5 hours)
Van
(25 minutes)
Arouca
Lunch (1 hour)
Arouca
Dessert, Local snacks, Food tasting (30 minutes)
Van
(50 minutes)
Arrive back at:
Calçada de Vandoma
Main stop
Other stop
For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.
Highlights
- Dare to cross the world's longest footbridge, the Arouca 516
- Marvel at one of the most beautiful trails in the world
- Enjoy traditional food at a local restaurant
- Discover the local culture with a convent sweets tasting
- Explore the beautiful and historic Arouca
Full description
We leave from Porto at 8AM towards Arouca town where we will stop shortly for bathrooms and for coffee.
Get ready for adventure! After a short drive, we will arrive at the Walkways and go across one of the Longest Suspension Bridges of the World – The 516 Arouca! It spans 516m-long (1,692ft) across the valley and hangs 175m (576ft) above the Paiva river!
Notice: crossing the bridge is not mandatory. You have the option to skip it.
Then, you will walk the Paiva Walkways downhill in a total length of 7km over a wooden boardwalk zig-zagging downhill along the left bank of the river.
Bring a swimsuit! At the halfway point of the trail, you find the Vau beach! You will have some free time to dive and swim or just put your feet on the clean waters of the Paiva river.
PLEASE NOTICE: make sure you bring a second set of clothes as you cannot get in the van with wet clothes!
(you also have the option to walk only 3,5Km and be picked up half-way. You can decide that on the day of the tour)
The walk will be followed by another highlight of our day: lunch! A delicious meal is deserved and it will take place at a beautiful typical restaurant! Meat, fish or vegetarian options available.
After lunch we’ll discover Arouca for a glance about local culture and history including convent sweets tasting related to Arouca Monastery.
Finish your day back in Porto.
Includes
- Roundtrip transportation from Porto
- Paiva Walkways tickets
- Arouca 516 Footbridge tickets
- Lunch (veal, fish, or vegetarian options)
- Convent sweets tasting
- Gratuities
Select participants and date
Participants
Date
Meeting point
Meeting point location reference: Calçada da Vandoma next to Estátua de Vímara Peres - (Horse statue at Porto Cathedral)
Open in Google Maps ⟶Important information
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes
- Sun hat
- Water
- Biodegradable sunscreen
- Comfortable clothes
- Motion sickness prevention
Know before you go
- Crossing the bridge is optional; if you fear heights, you can just walk the normal trail and skip the bridge
- To reach the Paiva Walkways, you will be driven over the mountain. The road gets a bit winding. For those who have car motion sickness problems, we advise you to have a tablet or a pill to help
- Paiva Walkways tickets and Arouca 516 Footbridge tickets are included in the tour
- Fish or vegetarian options are available for lunch