Discover one of the latest wood walkways in Portugal, located in Vila Real (Northern Portugal). A trail along the Corgo river valley, an easy and beautiful walk along the incredible Passadiços do Corgo.

Passadiços do Corgo are an excellent option for those looking for a short, fun and beautiful trail. Located in Vila Real, right in the city centre, access is easy, and you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views along the way.

This walkway is an excellent way to get in touch with nature. Along the way, you’ll get to see all those green and lush trees, as well as the amazing Corgo River.

Passadiços do Corgo were inaugurated in November 2021 and have been attracting visitors ever since. The walkways provide access to areas that were previously practically unreachable. And entry is free!

In terms of distance, the wood walkways are only about 750 metres long. However, you can take a round trip of around 3 kilometres, where, in addition to the wooden walkways, you’ll find some parts with natural paths. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can make this trail longer and hike an 8 km loop. You’ll find more details about these two alternatives later in the post 😉!

In this article, as well as a brief overview of the Corgo Walkways, you’ll also find other useful information, such as:

• Location of Passadiços do Corgo
• How much time do you need to visit Passadiços do Corgo
• Where to look for accommodation near Passadiços do Corgo
• Best time of year to visit Passadiços do Corgo

Passadiços do Corgo are located in the heart of the city of Vila Real, in Northern Portugal. The distance by car from the main cities in mainland Portugal is as follows:

• Porto – 1h05 (96 km)
• Viseu – 1h07 (93 km)
• Aveiro – 1h40 (160 km)
• Coimbra – 2h05 (182 km)
• Lisbon – 3h50 (398 km)

For those travelling from Porto, which is one of the closest cities, you have a motorway that takes you almost there. The simplest way to get there is to take the A4 highway until you reach the Bragança/Vila Real exit. From there, you only have to drive a few minutes on the national road N313 until you reach the walkways.

If you’re travelling from Lisbon or Aveiro, you’ll need to take the A1 and the A41 highways, then the A4 and, finally, the N313. On the other hand, in the case of Coimbra or Viseu, the best route is to take the A24 and also a bit of the A4 highway just before reaching Vila Real.

Although Passadiços do Corgo are located in the heart of the city of Vila Real, the start of the trail is near some narrow streets with little parking available.

Even so, I suggest looking for parking on Rua da Guia, which is one of the streets closest to the trailhead. There aren’t really any designated parking spaces on this street, but there were several cars parked there when I visited. It was on this street that I managed to find a parking space on a Sunday, so I don’t think it will be difficult to find a space even on the weekends.

The shortest route of Passadiços do Corgo is around 3 kilometres (round trip). This version of the route passes through the wooden walkways and some natural paths until you reach a section of the trail that continues to Vila Velha.

To walk this part of the route, two hours should be enough. It took me 1h58, and I had lots of stops in between for photos! Nevertheless, if you want to go for a swim in some of the water areas along the route, you should add time to your visit.

On the other hand, there is the option of taking a loop trail where, after about 1.5 kilometres on the walkways and nature trails, you can continue towards Vila Velha, and then, Corgo Park. In this case, the total trail length is 8 kilometres and, if you choose this option, I recommend half a day to visit everything.

Although there is a lot of vegetation along the trail, the amount of shade depends on the time of day and time of the year you decide to visit.

So, although it’s possible to visit Passadiços do Corgo at any time of year, I suggest visiting them in spring (March to June) or autumn (September to December), avoiding the cold winters and very hot summers that are usual to Vila Real.

💡 EXTRA TIP: I visited the Corgo Walkways at the end of May and the temperatures were pleasant that day (23 °C). However, as I did a large part of the route under the sun, with all the uphill parts of the trail, it felt much warmer. I would therefore avoid visiting the walkways during the hottest days of the year.

Given the proximity of Passadiços do Corgo to the city of Vila Real, the best option is to look for accommodation in Vila Real. I’ve never had the opportunity to stay in this city. However, I would like to share some suggestions for accommodation in Vila Real:

The trail that leads to Passadiços do Corgo starts near Rua da Guia, in Bairro dos Ferreiros (neighbourhood). The initial part of the route is through Beco da Represa (an alley), which used to give access to the Biel Hydroelectric Power Station, which closed in the 20s. The route starts to the right of the signs in the image below. You should follow the sign that says ‘Percursos naturais’.

After a few metres with some uphill walking (although not too steep), you’ll pass under a metal bridge. Continue along the nature trails down to the bird observatory, where you’ll get a glimpse of the wooden walkways for the first time.

This initial part of the Corgo Walkways runs along old paths that used to lead to the Biel Power Station and have recently been restored.

From the birdwatching centre, you can continue towards the walkways. This is where you get your first glimpse of the Corgo River. Although it no longer works today, there is also a weir there which used to supply the Biel power station.

If it’s a hot day, and you’re brave enough, this is a great place for a swim. When I visited, for example, a few people were enjoying the sun and cooling off a bit in the water.

The wooden walkways continue towards a wooden bridge that crosses the river. This is one of the most beautiful locations on the entire route due to the waterfall that forms there! Don’t forget to take photos 😍.

From this bridge, you can even see the old power station and a vertical railway line that was used to transport the materials used in the hydroelectric power station.

The trail continues after the bridge with a few stairs that you have to climb (in fact, there are several stairs along the path). From this point onwards, you’ll find a mixture of wooden walkways and nature trails.

The “end” of the trail comes when the wooden walkways end and the only option is to continue along a very narrow path next to some houses (see photos below).

If your goal is to do the 3 km version of the trail, then this is where you should return along the same route you’ve just walked. This is exactly what I did!

However, if you’re feeling energetic and want to explore a bit more, you can head towards Vila Velha (properly marked as you can see above). Continuing along the route, you can visit a few more places, such as the Vila Velha Museum, Casa dos Brocas, Paços do Conselho or the Corgo Park.

For the trail’s 3 km version, I’ve summarised below the main useful information about it:

• Start/End: Beco da Represa in Rua da Guia
• Distance: 3 km (round trip)
• Linear path
• Recommended duration: 2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate. The route has a few climbs (wooden stairs), but it’s not that hard

Although the trail is relatively short, here are some tips on what to bring, especially for those who are planning to do this hike in the summer:

• Proper footwear (the terrain is uneven in some parts)
• Water
• Hat and sun cream (especially for the hottest days, as there isn’t much shade on the route)
• Swimwear if you want to bathe by the waterfalls
• Insect repellent

If you’re going to combine a visit to Passadiços do Corgo with a trip to Vila Real, I’d also like to suggest a restaurant in Vila Real.

The restaurant Casa de Pasto da Chaxoila is located on the N2 motorway and is known for its traditional Portuguese dishes. I tried naco de cachena and also carne à chaxoila, preferring the latter. The space is quite pleasant as well, especially the terrace on warmer days.

Passadiços do Corgo are an excellent way to escape routine and connect with nature on an amazing route along the valley formed by the Corgo River, right in the heart of Vila Real. If you visit these walkways, let me know in the comments what you thought of the experience 🥰.

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