Passadiços do Paiva Trailhead (Areinho) — Attraction in Arouca

If you want to to the Paiva Walkways from Espiunca and the 516 Arouca crossing you have to book the walkway ticket from Espiunca (currently 2 Euro) and the Ticket for the bridge from Areinho entrance. From Espiunca to the bridge it is about 2 hours if you're fit and don't make too long stops.

Planning:

1. If you start from Alvarenga one-way to Espiunca, pass the bridge and just go down to Espiunca, it is very easy but still beautiful. You can do it in 2 hours.

2. If you start from Areinho one-way to Espiunca, you have to do a steep ascent over 500+ stairs at the start (30-45 min.), but from there its basically only descent. If you Want to do a one-way only AND want to see the 516 Arouca bridge, i recommend this way: You don't have to finish the whole trail, but only the first ascent to a certain time for your time slot at the bridge. I would say it's light intermediate, because you have to do an ascent, but it's only one ascent right at the start, when you are still fresh. You will need 2,5-3 hours.

3. If you start from Espiunca one-way to Areinho, it's slightly harder because you have to go a lot of stairs at the final ascent to the bridge. From there its a descent over 500+ steps down to Areinho. You can take a taxi back from there to Espiunca, if you like. You will need 2,5-3 hours.

4. If you start from Espiunca and want to do the full roundtrip, it is even harder, as you have to do the final ascent (to the start of the 516 Arouca bridge), full descent with the last 1,5-2km to the end, then go right back and do the full ascent again, before you walk down all the time back to Espiunca. If you are rather fit, i would still recommend as it is a nice challenge.

This is a realistic plan: Start at 8:00 am at Espiunca. You will be one of the first people and with a little bit of luck you can see some herons flying as the sun rises. If you don't make many stops and don't take too much pictures (remember: you will come back to every place you see) you will arrive at about 10:15 at the 516 Arouca bridge. Then you can still do the descent to Areinho, have a little break, do the ascent to the bridge again, so you make it to the 11:30 timeslot. If you realize, that this is too tight, you can postpone the last bit to Areinho on after your bridge visit. After doing the 516 Arouca you have now all the time to enjoy the long descent to Espiunca again with lots of stops, taking pictures or cooling down at one of the bathing points if you like. We completed the roundtrip this way in about 5 hours plus breaks and the 516 Arouca visit (in total about 7 hours).

Bring enough water! You can fill up your water bottles at the 516...

The Paiva Walkways are located on the left bank of the Paiva River, in the municipality of Arouca, district of Aveiro. There are 8 km that provide an "untouched" tour, surrounded by landscapes of unparalleled beauty, in an authentic natural sanctuary, next to whitewater descents, quartz crystals and endangered species in Europe. The route extends between the river beaches of Areinho and Espiunca, with Vau beach between the two. The Paiva Walkways are an 8.7 km wooden walkway, built along the cliffs of from Paiva. They are located about 75 km southeast of Porto, within the Arouca Unesco Global Geopark. This incredible attraction, due to its unique beauty, has already been awarded 10 times in the World Travel Awards. The 516 Arouca Bridge is the longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world, measuring 516 meters in length and 175 meters in height. Suspended on Tibetan-style steel cables, the 516 Arouca Bridge was a great challenge for Engineering. This impressive structure joins the banks of the Paiva River Gorge, over the beautiful Cascata das Aguieiras. Next to us, the Paiva River flows in an almost musical way, rising its flow in the winter period, extending the adrenaline of its wild waters to the adventurers of rafting and kayaking. Along the shore, the journey begins in the bathing areas of Areinho and/or Espiunca, and halfway along the route, the small paradise of the leisure and leisure area of Vau opens up in front of us. It's the eight kilometers of a lifetime. Project co-financed by «ON2 – O Novo Norte», through QREN and the European Regional...

A great 8km (5mile) walk that is well maintained and allows you to walk two abreast on a very clear path. There is the option of taking in the Arouca 516m suspension bridge but you will need to book well ahead as places are very limited. The walk itself is a great way to see the Paiva valley and gets you close to nature.

If you are walking in one direction then the majority of people walk downstream. This involves a 1.5 km walk ascent to the highest point of the trail followed by 0.5km of stepped descent via 600+steps and the remainder of the trail is a meander to the end. Jeeps and taxis are available at both ends and it is a 12km trip back to the start via the road.

If you are doing a return trip then start wherever suits you best just be prepared to go up relentlessly for 0.5km at some stage. There are restaurants at both ends and plenty of river beaches and alike to stop at for a picnic / rest / swim!

We went in late March on a Monday and parking was easy and the route was not busy but in the height of the summer they can get 3,000 people a day which may take some of the enjoyment out of the day. Parking is limited and there are very limited alternative parking locations within 1km. If you are thinking of going in the summer I can imagine a very early start would not only avoid the congestion (road and trails) but also be cooler and more interesting light.

Hope you enjoy it as...