World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge Opens in Portugal

The world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge has just been unveiled in Portugal.

The 516 Arouca – named for its length of 516 meters and its location in the town of Arouca, just an hour south of Porto – spans between Aguieiras Waterfall and Paiva Gorge. It’s the latest thrilling addition to Arouca Geopark, famous for its extreme sports activities.

The crossing takes about 10 minutes if you're savoring the breathtaking views of the waterfall, gorge, and the swiftly flowing river below through the open grid underfoot – or just four minutes if you're racing across in fear of heights.

This Tibetan-style suspension bridge is supported by steel cables and two massive V-shaped towers. It stretches for 1,692 feet, which might make it seem a little less intimidating.

The River Paiva flows 176 meters (576 feet) below the narrow three-foot-wide open metal grid of the bridge’s pathway.

The railings consist of sturdy netting, while the deck is made up of 127 four-meter-long modular sections.

Designed by the Portuguese architecture firm Itecons, the bridge took three years to construct, with completion in July 2020.

Located in the eastern part of the Geopark, it’s near the Paiva Walkways, the Areinho and Vau river beaches, and the villages of Alvarenga, Canelas, and Espiunca.

“This bridge is designed to attract a variety of visitors: engineering enthusiasts, nature lovers, and thrill-seekers,” said the local council, Arouca Municipality, in a statement last year.

Arouca 516 has claimed the title of the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge from the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Switzerland, which measures 1,621 feet and opened in 2017. That bridge offers stunning views of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, and the Bernese Alps.

The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the United States is the SkyBridge in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which stretches 680 feet across a valley in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Opened in May 2019, it was briefly closed in June 2020 after a reckless visitor attempted to slide across the glass panels like a baseball player, cracking the floor.

For those who are more impressed by height than length, the world’s tallest glass-bottom suspension bridge is the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China, where visitors can even bungee jump from its 853-foot-high (260-meter) platform.