Ambassador Nathalie walked some of the most spectacular hiking trails there: across the suspension bridge, along the wooden Passadi\u00e7os do Paiva<\/strong>, and across the granite Freita Plateau<\/strong>. With a fear of heights, a kingfisher, and a well-deserved lunch.<\/p>\n\n Breathe in, breathe out, I say to myself, almost out loud. As if these words are supposed to reassure me, at a height of 175 meters. I still have nearly 500 meters to go to reach the other side of the imposing gorge. To take my mind off things, I start filming. To my left, I see a waterfall, and the wild Paiva River<\/strong> flows beneath us. Our guide, Pedro, had told us that you can also go rafting on this rain-fed river. But not directly below suspension bridge 516, because that section is Class 6: extremely dangerous, with unpredictable whirlpools and treacherous rocks. Further down the river, it\u2019s perfectly safe for tourists to go rafting.<\/p>\n\n But first, I need to get to the other side of the suspension bridge. When it opened in 2021, it was still the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world. Something the Portuguese in this region were, of course, immensely proud of, but now a suspension bridge in the Czech Republic holds the title. To reassure me a bit, Pedro tells me that he once led a group of tourists\u2014with their eyes closed\u2014almost crawling their way to the other side. Well, I guess it\u2019s not so bad for me after all.<\/p>\n\n Once I reached the other side, I was chatting away again right away. My fear of heights fell away, and I fully enjoyed the amazing structure in this impressive valley. That\u2019s a true feat of engineering!<\/p>\n\n Our guide, Pedro, walks ahead of us on the path that leads to the Passadi\u00e7os do Paiva<\/a><\/strong>, which, not very poetically, means \u201cthe walking paths along the Paiva River\u201d in Portuguese. The Passadi\u00e7os do Paiva is a wooden walking trail over 8 kilometers long. Due to severe forest fires, part of the trail is closed, so we can only walk four kilometers. We\u2019ve been promised that the entire trail will be open again in 2027.<\/p>\n\n The hike actually starts under the suspension bridge, with a wooden staircase that takes you right down to the river. Pedro tells me that you can also go on an otter excursion here. A specialized guide sets out with a small group early in the morning, searching for otter tracks. That sounds like an amazing experience to me. Halfway down the stairs, I spot some droppings with seeds in them. According to Google Lens, they\u2019re from a stone marten. Cool! Nature here is incredibly rich anyway\u2014from birds of prey like peregrine falcons to mammals like badgers, wild boars, and Iberian wolves<\/a><\/strong> (though the latter are found more in the surrounding mountains).<\/p>\n\n The walk along the river is relaxing, although the wooden planks can be slippery when it has rained or when it\u2019s freezing. We don\u2019t run into many people, so I can enjoy the surroundings in peace. The sun reflects off the fast-flowing water, where huge boulders lie here and there. I immediately realize that rafting here is truly dangerous.<\/p>\n\n “Look over there, a kingfisher,” someone in our group suddenly exclaims. The little blue bird is startled by the voice, leaves the rock in the river, and flies off. In Portuguese, the kingfisher is called *guarda-rios*<\/em>, which means \u201criver guard.\u201d What a fitting name! A moment later, we see it again, perched perky on the riverbank, looking out over the water.<\/p>\n\n Just before the end of the hike, there\u2019s another small suspension bridge. It\u2019s a piece of cake compared to the 516, although this one sways back and forth much more. On the other side, two dogs are standing at the entrance to the bridge. So we turn back. If you want to hike a route longer than 80 kilometers, you\u2019ll have to continue on from here. A few minutes later, a van picks us up. There are also taxi phone numbers posted everywhere that you can call after your hike.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s now time for a Portuguese lunch, and of course, a glass of local vinho verde<\/em> is a must. I think I\u2019ve earned this after risking my life at a height of 175 meters. We stop at Restaurante Avozinha<\/strong><\/a>, which means \u201cgrandma.\u201d You can probably guess that from the logo featuring an elderly lady. They still cook traditionally here, and you can really taste it. One of grandma\u2019s young (great)grandsons cooks like a dream. That\u2019s why people come from far and wide to eat here. We enjoy a Portuguese stew and the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n In the afternoon, we\u2019ll travel back in time more than 300 million years. We\u2019re still in the Arouca UNESCO Geopark<\/strong>; the Paiva Gorge is one of its 41 geosites. We\u2019re standing at a windy overlook, Detrelo da Malhada<\/strong> (geosite 1), where we\u2019ll learn about the geosites and the park. From this high vantage point, you can see the Arouca Valley, a monastery (which was recently converted into a tastefully decorated 5-star hotel), and the town center. And on a clear day, you can even see the mountain ranges of Portugal\u2019s only national park, Peneda-Ger\u00eas<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n A little further on, a shepherd walks with his goats, using a long stick; the goats all seem to be wandering aimlessly. A special mountain dog, used to protect the herd from wolves, lies there (seemingly) lazily watching. He\u2019s keeping a close eye on us, though. Everywhere among the rocky ground, you can see purple flowers with yellow stamens. They resemble crocuses, but they\u2019re autumn crocuses. As the name suggests, these flowers bloom in the fall.<\/p>\n\n Let\u2019s go back to geology for a moment: in a geopark, you\u2019ll find unique sites of geological interest, such as remarkable rocks and fossils. In the past, these areas may have been primarily a paradise for scientists, but now, even as a tourist, you can learn more about the area\u2019s history\u2014which spans millions of years\u2014in an accessible way. Simply scan a QR code at the geosite.<\/p>\n\n One of the most remarkable geosites in the Serra da Freita<\/strong> is located near the village of Castanheira<\/strong>: the Pedras Parideiras<\/strong>, or \u201cchild-bearing stones.\u201d The granite, which is about 310 to 320 million years old, contains dark nodules that break away due to weathering. They leave behind a hollow, as if the rock were giving birth to a small stone. This phenomenon is virtually unique in the world. At the Casa das Pedras Parideiras visitor center in Castanheira, you can learn how it works.<\/p>\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-516-2-1-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\nArouca at a Glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Arouca 516 Suspension Bridge: once the longest suspension bridge in the world<\/h2>\n\n
![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-516-en-de-auteur-576x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-516-3-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-516-lopen-over-de-hangbrug-576x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\nPractical Information: Arouca 516 Suspension Bridge<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
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2. Passadi\u00e7os do Paiva: Hiking Along the Wild Paiva River<\/h2>\n\n
![\"Paiva](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Passadicos-do-Paiva-en-lagere-hangbrug-802x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Passadiços](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Passadicos-do-Paiva-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Passadiços](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Passadicos-do-Paiva-en-Nathalie-op-lagere-hangbrug-768x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\nGuarda-rios, the river keeper<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
![\"Passadiços](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Passadicos-do-Paiva-Gids-Pedro-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\nPractical Information: Passadi\u00e7os do Paiva<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
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Lunch at Avozinha: stew and vinho verde<\/h2>\n\n
![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Vers-lokaal-geproduceerde-vegetarische-salades-e1792589092687-768x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/IMG_5719-652x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Portuguese](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Portugese-lunch-in-restaurant-Avozinha-oma-494x1024.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n3. Freita Plateau: 300 million years of history and the striking rocks<\/h2>\n\n
![\"Autumn](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Herfsttijloos-lijkt-op-een-krokus-in-de-bergen-rond-Arouca-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Uitpuffen-in-MS-Collection-Mosteiro-de-Arouca-een-prachtig-hotel-in-een-voormalig-klooster-in-het-stadje-Arouca-1024x793.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Rivier-de-Paiva-1024x768.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-Geopark-2-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\nPedras Parideiras: stones that give birth to stones<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
![\"Castanheira\"](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Castanheira-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Arouca](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Arouca-Geopark-bevallende-stenen-in-Castanheira-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\nPR16 S\u00e3o Pedro Velho<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
![\"PR](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/PR-16-S.-Pedro-Velho-is-een-prachtige-rondwandeling-in-het-Arouca-Geopark-waar-je-geiten-tegen-kunt-komen-1024x768.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Wandelroutebordjes-1024x986.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n