516 Arouca and the Paiva Walkways: The Best Way to Do Both
Approved by Ed
📍 Arouca
The best way to do the 516 Arouca bridge and the Passadiços do Paiva is one way, start to finish. Start on the Alvarenga side, the easier one to get to, walk over the amazing bridge, take the boardwalk down to the river beach at Praia Fluvial do Vau, and ask for a jeep back to your car. Super easy, and the whole day goes forward.
The route: one way, from Alvarenga
About 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 by car from Porto. Allow around two hours on foot, plus the jeep.
- Book the 516 Arouca ticket with Alvarenga as your starting point. Tickets are sold online only, for a set time, and entry is limited.
- Park at Albisqueiros, in Alvarenga. From there the path to the bridge is up to 20 minutes, and easy.
- Walk over the bridge. 516 metres across the Paiva gorge, 175 metres above the river at its highest point. Give it 20 to 30 minutes, with stops to look down.
- Take the Passadiços do Paiva to Praia Fluvial do Vau. About an hour on the wooden boardwalk along the river, with stairs up and down the rocks. Vau has toilets and water.
- Ask for a jeep at Vau. Someone from 516 Arouca is there to call you a jeep or a taxi back to your car in Alvarenga. Expect 10 to 15 minutes' wait: just enough for a dip in the river, so bring something to swim in. Have some cash handy for the ride.
Alvarenga or Areinho: which side to start
| Start at Alvarenga | Start at Areinho | |
|---|---|---|
| Walk to the bridge | About 1 km, 20 minutes, easy | About 1.2 km on the walkways, 500 stairs up, up to an hour |
| The bridge | Cross it once | Cross it, then come back over it |
| The day | Forward all the way | Doubles back on itself |
Good to know before you go
- One ticket, two sights. The 516 Arouca ticket also covers the walkways between Areinho and Vau, the same day. A walkways ticket covers the walkways alone.
- Pick a bridge slot with daylight to spare. The walkways are open from sunrise to sunset, and with the last bridge slot of the day the council has you walk them first, which turns the route around.
- Ages six and up on the bridge. Leave pets, pushchairs, big backpacks and umbrellas behind, and wear proper shoes: flip-flops and heels are turned away.
Sources: 516arouca.pt and the ticket itself (Município de Arouca), and passadicosdopaiva.pt. The route is how I did it, in October 2026; walking times are from my photos, drive time from a route planner.
516 Arouca and the Passadiços do Paiva is one of Edmund’s picks in Arouca.
516 Arouca website ↗Book tickets (online only) ↗Directions to the Alvarenga car park ↗See on the map →
Common questions
Where is 516 Arouca and the Passadiços do Paiva?
516 Arouca and the Passadiços do Paiva is in Arouca, Portugal.
How far is 516 Arouca from Porto?
About 80 km, or 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 by car, to the Alvarenga car park.
Which side should I start the 516 Arouca bridge from?
Alvarenga. The entrance is easier to reach, you cross the bridge once, and the walkways carry you on to Vau, where a jeep takes you back to the car.
How long does the 516 Arouca bridge and Paiva Walkways route take?
Around two hours on foot: half an hour or less on the bridge, then about an hour along the walkways to Vau, plus the walk in from the car park and the jeep back.
Can I buy 516 Arouca tickets at the bridge?
No. Book online ahead at 516arouca.pt, choosing a time slot and a starting point, Alvarenga or Areinho.
Does the 516 Arouca ticket include the Passadiços do Paiva?
Yes: the Areinho to Vau section, on the same day as your bridge visit.
How do I get back to my car after the Paiva Walkways?
At the river beach at Vau, a 516 Arouca representative arranges a jeep or a taxi back to the Alvarenga car park. Mine came in 10 to 15 minutes. Pay in cash.