Dom Luís I Bridge, Porto, Portugal

The Dom Luís I Bridge is a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. At its construction, its 172 metres span was the longest of its type in the world.

Construction took place between 1881 and 1886 with the bridge being built adjacent to an existing bridge which it replaced. The granite pillars of the original bridge are still in place, standing on the Ribeira like a pair of gate posts.

One of the notable features of the Ponte Dom Luís I is it's two levels; one on top of the arch and the other suspended below it. Both decks were initially intended to carry road traffic but these days the top carries the Porto Metro trains as well as having a pedestrian walkway. It is worth making the crossing on the upper level.

Today Luis I Bridge is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar.

User Reviews

Mike Finch (13 months ago)
This is a first for me….Rating a bridge, but to be fair it’s an amazing bridge, despite being over a hundred years old it’s still looks fantastic and really well kept. There’s a top half that pedestrians can walk over, which is also shared with the metro. It’s very high and the side railing isn’t too high, meaning you get some great views up and down the river as well as across the cities on both sides. There is also a lower part that is shared with motorists, this is busier than the top, but still an interesting walk, especially as you can how the bridge was built

Jaspal Singh (14 months ago)
April 2024 5* Wow what is this place. The bridge is beautiful and you can get amazing 360 degree views. Upper deck is light rail bridge but also you can walk and lower deck is for vehicle with pedestrian path. Which one is most? Both as you get completely different views from upper and lower deck. Use light rail if you want to go to upper side as it is easier. Alternatively you can walk.

Mengyang Liu (14 months ago)
This bridge is magnificent. You can walk both on the upper deck or the lower deck. On the upper deck there also goes the tram. The view is very good and you overlook the whole city alongside the Duoro River. Walking on this bridge gives you a very pleasant feeling. Highly recommend to take a talk on both levels of this bridge.

serdar barcin (14 months ago)
This bridge, which is the heart of Porto, is beautiful both at night and during the day. There are pedestrian paths and tram & car roads on both the lower and upper floors. It's great to have a bird's eye view of the Douro River

Ibrahim Hajjar (16 months ago)
Stunning view and sophisticated design for a beautiful and distinctive landmark in Porto! The landmark was designed by Gustavo Eiffel, the same French civil engineer who has designed Eiffel Tower. The bridge represents a unique architectural landmark in the port which emphasizes the touristic value and increase the city image potential for visitors and tourists. We have really enjoyed the view at different times during the day and night, however, the sunset view over there is out of this world. Whether you were at the lower or the higher level of the bridge, the view and vibes are just stunning and very beautiful. A great homogeneous design within the whole surroundings contexts, especially the cultural and geographical ones. The bridge increases the connectivity between Porto two parts and motivates more pedestrians.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Infomastern

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