Arouca is a mountain town in the north of Aveiro district, about an hour from Porto, surrounded by the Freita and Montemuro ranges and crossed by the Paiva river, one of the least polluted in Europe. In recent years it has become one of Portugal's most popular hiking destinations.
The Paiva Walkways
The Passadiços do Paiva are a route of wooden walkways about 8.7 kilometres long on the left bank of the Paiva, between Areinho and Espiunca, opened in 2015. The trail follows quartzite gorges, rapids, river beaches and waterfalls, with many staircases: demanding but spectacular. Access requires a ticket booked online, and walking from Espiunca towards Areinho means less climbing.
The 516 Arouca bridge
Midway along the route, over the Paiva gorge, the 516 Arouca bridge opened in 2021: a pedestrian suspension bridge 516 metres long, hanging about 175 metres above the river. When it opened it was the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge. It can only be crossed on a guided visit, on a metal grid deck that lets you see the drop beneath your feet.
The Geopark
Arouca's territory has been a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2009 for its wealth of geological sites. The most famous are the pedras parideiras, the "birthing stones" of Castanheira, a rare granite that "gives birth" to small dark nodules that break away from the rock, unique in the world at this scale, and the giant trilobites of Canelas, fossils some 465 million years old, among the largest ever found, displayed in a small museum. On the Serra da Freita is the Frecha da Mizarela waterfall, about 60 metres high, one of the tallest in Portugal.
The monastery and sweets
In the centre of Arouca stands the large Arouca monastery, linked to Saint Mafalda, daughter of King Sancho I, who lived and is buried here: the Baroque church has a magnificent choir with carved stalls, and the sacred art museum holds important treasures. The monastery gave Arouca its convent sweets, such as castanhas doces and pão de ló. At the table, try veal from the local arouquesa cattle breed.