Claiming the “World’s Biggest” title of any kind always grabs attention, and I bet the destination managers in Arouca understood this when they conceived the Ponte 516. Stretching an impressive 516 meters across the Pavia River, Ponte 516 secured its place as the “World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge” capturing global headlines when it opened in 2021.
Dangling 175 meters above the rushing waters below, Ponte 516 provides mesmerizing vistas of the rugged gorge, meandering river, and surrounding hills. Complementing the Paiva Walkways, this bridge enables travellers to immerse themselves in the distinctive landscape of Portugal’s Arouca Geopark.
Recognised by UNESCO in 2009, the park shelters rare and endangered fauna, including the Iberian wolf, red squirrels, and otters. Realistically, you’d have to be lucky to spot these animals on your visit. But the thunderous roar of the Paiva River resonates everywhere, particularly as Ponte 516 crosses over the Cascata das Aguieiras (Aguieiras Waterfalls).
Whether you’re simply crossing the bridge or seeking a complete day of exploration including the walkways, read on for my insights to ensure an unforgettable experience!
What to expect at Ponte 516
You’ll need to pre-purchase tickets online for an allocated time. Once you arrive, you can check-in at the booth and wait for your time to cross.
If you’re expecting to cross at your leisure, you’ll be disappointed. You will be crossing with a guide and a group during your allocated time. The guide provides some information about the bridge, but there was a lot a waiting around in the sun before we could cross. Then once the guide allowed us to enter, it was a rush to get across.
The views are truly remarkable and offer a wonderful viewpoint of the thundering waterfalls below.
Once you get to the other side, the guide will give you some more information about the area before you head back to the other side. I felt like the return crossing was a bit more relaxed, probably because people knew what to expect.
There is also another group that crosses from the other side around the same time. So getting photos of yourself crossing the bridge alone can be difficult.
Oh, and there is a group of goats that hang out near the entrance!
Tips for visiting Ponte 516
1. Pre-purchase your tickets
This is more a necessity than a tip. There’s no ticket booth on-site at the bridge, meaning you must purchase your tickets in advance through the Ponte 516 website. Adult tickets are €12 each and you’ll need to specify your preferred crossing time and which side you intend to start from when you book.
2. Plan your entry time and side of the bridge to cross
You’ll need to select a time and which side you want to cross from when you book your ticket.
Plan on doing the Paiva Walkways on your trip? You’ll need to chose the Canelas side. But the Alvarenga side is said to be much easier to reach.
I also recommend selecting an early timeslot if you plan on doing the walkways. For some reason, we ignored the advice on the Ponte 516 website and chose a later time to allow us to do the walkways first. We ended up having to rush through the end of the walkways to make our timeslot to cross the bridge. We had to speed past some of the best scenery so do not make the same mistake!
3. Allow plenty of time to park and get to the bridge
Both sides have their own carparks, but they aren’t very close to the bridge entrance. On the Canelas side there are 500 steps to climb!
While it only took us 30 minutes to climb to the top (rather than the 1 hour advised on the website), we were very hot and sweaty by the time we arrived. Thankfully this was the hardest part of the Paiva walkways starting from the bridge end.
While we didn’t try from the Alvarenga side, it is supposed to be easier and only take 20 minutes.
4. Don't be late.....or too early
Don’t miss your allocated time or you won’t be able to cross. But, don’t arrive too early as you’ll just end up waiting around in the sun.
5. Hold back and try to cross the bridge last
Everyone will probably rush forward to be one of the first to cross the bridge. But hold back and you will have more time to stop and enjoy the view. You won’t feel pressured by the crowd behind you to keep moving and you’ll also be able to get so photos looking back at the empty bridge.
6. Drink plenty of water & wear sunscreen
There isn’t much shade on or around the bridge and you can spend a fair bit of time waiting around to cross. Bring water and wear sun protection – especially if you plan on doing the Paiva Walkways too.
7. Pee before you arrive
There are public toilets, but you can expect to walk 1 kilometre or more to get to them.
Was the Ponte 516 worth it?
At €12 a ticket, this was one of the more expensive touristy things we did in Portugal. There was probably about 30 minutes of waiting around in the sun between when we validated our ticket and stepped onto the bridge. And having to cross the bridge together with a group also kind of diminished the experience for us.
But the views truly are incredible. Even though we had just completed the walkways, we enjoyed perspective from above over the river and gorge.
So, overall I think Ponte 516 was worth it. It would especially be worth it if you didn’t want to do the Paiva Walkways.