Day 18: 516 Acoura - the battle with heights

2.8.2025

Highlights today:

• Douro Valley
• 516 Acoura - the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world

Even when we intended to fly to mainland Portugal in 2021 (the vacation was canceled at the time due to the coronavirus variant), we had the Acoura bridge on our agenda. The Ponte 516 Arouca is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world. It is 516 meters long and located 175 meters above the Paiva River in northern Portugal. It was only opened in 2021, so it's a brand new attraction from four years ago.

Since that vacation didn't take place and we had to make a spontaneous detour to the Maldives 😅😇 (see Travel blog Adventure Maldives), I have revived the idea of visiting the bridge.

Yesterday evening we wanted to book a ticket (entrance tickets are limited and can only be purchased online! No tickets are sold on-site), when we were warned about various warnings due to acute wildfires. The bridge can be accessed via three entrances, which vary significantly in terms of duration and effort.

Option 1:

Starting at the Areinho parking lot (Coordinates: 40.95299125283302, -8.17716919937435). From there, one walks 1.2 km along the Paiva Walkway to the bridge. However, this route is relatively difficult, as 500 steps must be overcome.

Steps = my arch-nemesis, hence this option is definitely out. And all this in +38 degrees - no - we're out for sure.

Option 2:

Starting at parking lot 1 or 2 in Albisqueiros (Coordinates: 40.96976486496078, -8.157224355726946), which are about 1.5 km from the bridge; the walking time through the village and forest is about 15-30 minutes (depending on pace).

Option 3:

Starting in Espiunca (Coordinates: 40.99278822630662, -8.211467963740452). One walks from there most of the Paiva Walkway to the bridge. That's almost 7 km, and since you must arrive at the bridge at your scheduled time, you should definitely plan enough time. To return to the parking lot, after visiting the bridge, one should continue to the Areinho parking lot (Reminder - 500 steps - now downhill) and take a taxi back to Espiunca from there.

Phew... for us, it's clear that only option 2 is feasible.

Problem: Options 2 and 3 were blocked last night according to the website 516 Arouca due to acute wildfires. Warnings about wildfires were also posted on the Facebook page.

Damn! Okay, then no bridge.

While we were sitting at breakfast - we slept in today since the bridge is not on the agenda - we checked the website again.

ALL ENTRANCES OPEN TODAY!!
No way, this can’t be true!!!

Of course, almost all tickets are sold out. We rule out 2 PM due to the heat; we're way too late for earlier slots. We book the second to last time slot at 5 PM (the last one would be 6:30), paying €12/adult, and our son pays €10 (9-17 years). We have booked the slot for option 2 from the parking lot in Albisqueiros.

Okay, let's see how we can plan our time before that.

We start on the highway towards the interior, passing several toll bridges. We were told that our rental car can pass through the automatic gate since it has a 'beeper, sensor, etc.' (?) and the toll will be automatically calculated and deducted from our deposit at the end. On the urban highways, the car beeps every time we pass a toll bridge, but out here our license plate is scanned, and we can pass without paying, but it does not beep. Well, I guess that will sort itself out in the end...

It involves amounts between €2-5.

The car, by the way, is equipped with all possible assistance systems -- and they are more annoying than helpful 🙈🫣

If I drive faster than allowed, it beeps endlessly, making me soon a traffic nuisance to the Portuguese (here, speed limits seem to be mere suggestions). So we drive -- here and there -- with constant beeping in our ears. But it beeps not only when 'driving too fast', but the lane-keeping assistant regularly adds its two cents, and as soon as I go from 'too fast' back to 'the right' speed, it beeps in a different tone. When the allowed speed limit changes due to traffic sign recognition, it beeps again -- but again differently... 🫣 

OMG - who came up with this???? As a music teacher, I tend to invent a suitable melody for the various beeping tones 😂

Our destination this noon is the Douro Valley near Pinhão, where among others the Sandeman winery 'Quinta do Seixo' is located, which we saw in the port wine tour video yesterday. Let’s see if we can find it or drive by it.

Since the weather forecast for tomorrow here in the Douro Valley predicts even hotter conditions, we hope that today will still be bearable in some way. In the last two days, the perceived temperatures were already significantly higher than those predicted -- at least in the city.

Our first stop is the Ponte da Régua. We hadn't planned it at all, but as we are crossing the river with the car anyway, we make a brief stop there and again see signs pointing to a pilgrimage route.

After a brief stop -- it’s already really hot -- we continue on. A few kilometers upstream on the Douro is the Barragem de Régua, the dam. The parking lot is packed - we find a spot and walk onto the dam - then we see why so many spectators are there: there is a river cruiser in the lock!

The ship lock at the Douro dam at Régua overcomes a height difference of nearly 30 meters between the lower and upper parts of the river. That's really a significant height difference, and it's astonishing how quickly the river cruiser in front of us ascends from below to above. There may be a few centimeters of space to the left and right of the ship — true craftsmanship!

It has already overcome the greatest height difference when we arrive, yet it's still a fascinating sight!

We drive over the dam and then on a narrow little road - nothing for my nerves - for a while along the Douro until the viewpoint with the letters COVELINHAS.

From here we turn around and drive back down the same narrow road - now of course facing oncoming traffic 🙈😱

Around 1 PM we reach the Quinta do Seixo by Sandeman. Here you drive a steep road, after a short time it becomes gravel, through the vineyards upwards, through an impressive gate, until you arrive at the hilltop where the Quinta 'sits'. Great view at nearly 40 degrees, blue sky with sunshine, and absolutely no breeze! 🥵🥵🥵

We ask what activities are available here. Unfortunately, they only have tastings - and we don't want to drink (I have to drive), walking around in nearly 40 degrees outside at the winery is also not an option. Therefore, we decide to visit the in-house shop - AIR CONDITIONING!!!! - and then look for something for lunch because we still have a 'bridge date' today 😬😁

After cooling down a bit, we head back to the Douro and to the first bridge of today. On the way, we don't see any restaurants, so we want to check in Régua, as there were some restaurant signs. Unfortunately, there is no parking near a local eatery, so we decide to go for the supermarket option when I see a sign for the grand opening of a LIDL supermarket. It's only a few minutes away, has a large parking lot, and we can stock up on drinks. Perfect!

Also, here in the 'bakery counter' alongside Pastel del Natas, there are also pizza pockets, codfish cake, and many other things we would like to try.

The frozen food selection is interesting - here there are things that we don’t have at home 😅

After our shopping, we continue towards 'the bridge'. The navigation takes us across small roads through the countryside, over hills - with nice views - to regions that are not really touristy.

We eat our lunch on the way and stop at some nice viewpoints.

At 4:45 PM we reach the parking lot in Albisqueiros. It seems to be newly made, as it is filled with construction vehicles. We park on a parking lot at the roadside and make our way to the bridge. According to the internet, it was about a 20-minute walk from here. I wear sneakers, I have no socks since I assumed we would just cross the bridge once and back - so no 'tough hike' today. In the heat, I also had no desire to walk around in heavy trekking shoes all day.

This is now coming back to haunt me....🙈

In sweaty +38 degrees (according to the rental car thermometer), we walk through the village and then turn off towards a small path, which leads initially past some houses and then through a dusty path in the woods to the bridge. It is past 5 PM when we arrive, a group is just receiving an introduction in Portuguese at the bridge entrance.

We scan our ticket and wait together with an English-speaking couple for the English introduction. Once everything is cleared up, we are allowed to enter the bridge.

According to the guide, it takes 30 minutes to calmly walk across the bridge in one direction. Phew... I can probably do that faster.

My pulse is racing; I'm already sweating, but it can always get worse 🤣🥵

I have a major fear of heights... if I pull this off, I'll be really proud of myself!!! 

Fortunately, it’s windy on the bridge and I have my hair in my face - can't see how deep it drops 😅

In just 15 minutes, I 'sprinted' to the other side of the bridge! I didn't see much of the landscape. My pulse is racing, sweat is dripping - but I made it!!! Yeah!!! 💪🏻💪🏻

Once on the other side, we clarify our 'options' from here with an employee at the bridge.

Option 1: back across the bridge and take a taxi to the car

Option 2: walk to a kiosk about 1 km down the road and hope for a taxi there

Option 3: walk down the steep steps to the river and then about 3 km along the Paiva Walkway to a station where an employee can call a taxi. The employee here at the bridge would inform his colleague that we are on our way.

Option 1 is off the table for my son and me: we will not set foot on that bridge again!!!

Option 2 isn’t really appealing, although it would be the shorter option...

We choose option 3 - after all, it’s only downhill - and the stretch along the river is said to be breathtakingly beautiful.

Okay, let's go! First, a quick stop at the toilet to 'freshen up'; there’s even a kind of 'container' with air conditioning and seating and a toilet.

The employee below is informed that we are on our way; we walk under the bridge via a dusty field path and start the steps down towards the river.

After about 100 steps, my wrong footwear is now paying off... sneakers without socks in nearly 40 degrees and now 3 km of walking - not a good combo 🙈

No choice - eyes closed and go!

The path is really beautiful! However, I would never have walked up the many steps... so it’s amazing that several vacationers are now coming towards us. They probably want to reach the last ticket time at 6:30 on the bridge.

Around 6 PM, we have made it down the steps and now walk along the wooden plank path by the river.

After another 45 minutes, we reach the stop along the Paiva Walkway, where an employee is already waiting for us and calls a taxi.

There is actually a small bar here, but due to the fires of the past days, everything is closed.

The taxi driver who picks us up tells us about the fire that was just put out yesterday. It is not the first fire; it burns regularly and many people have lost everything. We drive through a wooded area and still see smoke rising from the ground. There seem to still be hot spots. Passing by some burned-out houses - it still smells terrible of smoke - we drive through a small settlement and then back across the gorge to the parking lot.

In the end, we pay €30 for the taxi, but it was really worth it! The way was great and on the other side of the bridge, we would have had to take a taxi anyway.

A cloud floating in the sky resembles a huge 'mushroom'.

We drive into the village of Acoura, the namesake of the bridge, and find a seat in a small bistro. Across the street, everything is being prepared for a folklore concert. We would have liked to see that, but we are quite exhausted, it is getting dark, and I have to drive back to Porto for another good hour.

Tired but happy to have overcome my fear of heights, we reach our hotel around 10:30 PM - and my horror elevator!!!

Unfortunately, the parking space from yesterday is no longer available. Damn! I have no nerves left for parking. My husband manages to park the car in one of the tight spots in several moves. I think about how I'm going to get out of here tomorrow only when I need to.

For the statistics:

Walked: 10 km

Overnight stay: 3*** Tryp Porto Centro (B/B)

Weather: Full sun, up to +38 degrees