The structure in the north of the country leads 175 meters above the canyon of a river. If you want to venture out into a gear, you have to shell out twelve euros. There is also a free tip for people with a fear of heights.
Lisbon (dpa) – Portugal has a new tourist attraction that shouldn’t be for the faint of heart: In the north of the country, a 516 meter long pedestrian suspension bridge was inaugurated, which leads 175 meters above the gorge of the Paiva river.
The opening ceremony in the Arouca Geopark, around 50 kilometers southeast of Porto, was attended by the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa. According to the Geopark and the Mayor of Aroucas, Margarida Belém, it is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.
The “Titan RT”, which opened in May 2017 in the Harz Mountains at the Rappbodetal, was briefly the front runner with a length of 483 meters. Since July 2017, however, the 494-meter-long “Charles Kuonen” bridge on the Europaweg on the eastern side of the Mattertal has claimed this title for itself.
Some of the nearly 3,200 residents of the small town of Arouca had already been able to test the 2.1 million euro building on Thursday. “I’m still shaking, I can feel my legs shaking,” said Olivia Teixeira to the TV channel SIC. Others spoke of a “unique experience”.
Park guides recommend those who suffer from fear of heights to look straight ahead for the first time and not to look at the 1.20 wide metal grid path, which allows a good view of the green valley with many yellow flowers and a waterfall.
“516 Arouca” will open to the public on Monday. If you want to dare to take the brave walk across the bridge, which is held by thick steel cables and two massive towers on each side, you have to pay twelve euros. Children and young people between the ages of 7 and 17, people who have already celebrated their 65th birthday and students pay only ten euros.
The price includes a visit to the spectacular, 8.5-kilometer-long wooden footpaths Passadiços do Paiva in the forests of the Serra da Freita mountain range, which is up to 1,100 meters high.
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Titan RT bridge
