The world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge has opened near Arouca in northern Portugal.
A see-through metal grid pathway traverses the 516-metre-long span, hidden between rock-strewn mountains inside the UNESCO-recognised Arouca Geopark.
The bridge hangs 175m above the fast-flowing River Paiva.
The landscape is calm, but the crossing is not for the faint-hearted. Held up by steel cables and two massive towers on each side, the bridge wobbles a little with every step.
The bridge opened only to local residents on Thursday, but from Monday 3 May everyone can book a visit.
Locals hope the attraction, which cost about €2.3m and took around two years to build, will help revive the region, especially after the devastating Covid-19 pandemic.
"It is a breath of fresh air for our land because it will attract more investment, more people," said tour guide Emanuel, adding that the region was rapidly ageing as many young people moved to big cities. "It will bring a new dynamic to Arouca," he added.
Standing on the bridge, the mayor of Arouca, Margarida Belem, said the bridge was part of a wider strategy to encourage more people to move and stay in the region.
"There were many challenges that we had to overcome to have this work done here today but we did it," the visibly proud mayor told Reuters.
