Hike the Passadiços do Paiva

A truly unique experience is what awaits you in this place, which is located in Arouca, one hour away from Porto, Northern Portugal. Here, between the Mountains of Freita and Montemuro, lies the Paiva, considered to be one of the most beautiful and wild rivers in the whole country. Following the river, there is a walking trail, built almost in totality by wooden paths – the passadiços.

The trail is more than 8 km long, through an area surrounded by mountains, formed by huge rocks and cliffs, and it is sure the delight of trekking and nature lovers.

Along the trekking you will find several places of interest: the Alvarenga bridge; the lookout to the Aguieiras waterfalls; the famous wooden steps of the Passadiços do Paiva; the Gola do Salto, a spot in the river considered to be one of the best places to practice rafting and kayaking in the country, due to its fast rapids; or the Vau fluvial beach, well in the middle of the trail and with a huge variety of plant and animal species, as well, of course, as extreme beauty.

The trail has a duration of around 2.5 hours, one way, or 5 hours and over 16 km if you want to make the return journey walking. It has a medium-low difficulty rating and, if anything bad happens, there are several SOS phones along the way.

This beautiful project has already won several national, and international, awards and distinctions, and has brought huge visibility to the region, helping to its development.

The admission fee is only 1€ (and free to children under 12 years old), and there is a daily limit of entries, so you should make the reservation online before handed.

 Baby trolleys are not allowed, so if you’re considering taking your child make sure they are old enough to be able to walk the whole distance.

It’s definitely worth the visit.