The Passadiços do Paiva and the 516 Arouca bridge will reopen to the public starting August 2, according to an announcement on the footpaths’ official Facebook page.
The reopening of Passadiços do Paiva will be partial, with only the Areinho-Vau stretch accessible, while the Vau-Espiunca section remains closed.
“The 516 Arouca will welcome visitors without any changes,” states the same announcement.
A fire that broke out on Monday in Arouca, now reported as controlled since 7 AM, destroyed part of the Passadiços do Paiva, affecting hundreds of meters in the Espiunca area, one of the infrastructure’s entry points.
This incident marks the fourth time fire has damaged the tourist site, which spans 8.7 kilometers along the Paiva riverbank, providing a significant revenue source for the local economy.
Margarida Belém, Mayor of Arouca, expressed plans to explore “an innovative measure to more easily access certain points” and implement a mechanism to “contain these fire outbreaks near the footpaths.”
Since its opening in June 2015, the Passadiços do Paiva have been closed three times (2015, 2016, and 2024) for months-long restoration work due to wildfires.
The infrastructure reopened fully in April after three months of repairs costing over 200,000 euros, following damage from the last fire.
In its first decade, the Passadiços do Paiva attracted around 1.8 million visitors from various countries, generating approximately 1.9 million euros in ticket sales, priced up to two euros depending on the visitor’s age and residence.
However, the financial benefit to the region is believed to be much higher when factoring in local accommodation, dining, and tourism services.
