From north to south, Portugal is full of fantastic places to visit. From unusual constructions to medieval castles, not forgetting UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So the list of amazing places is (almost) endless. Today, we want to take you to one of those places: the world’s smallest international bridge.
Located in the parish of Esperança, in the municipality of Arronches, in the district of Portalegre, the Marco International Bridge has already made headlines for being considered the smallest infrastructure of its kind in the world. Regardless of its size, its historical and cultural value is immense. It links Portugal and Spain.
What is the world’s smallest international bridge like?
According to the officialwebsite of Arronches Town Hall, it’s a small wooden structure, just six meters long and 1.45 meters wide.
Built in 2008, it crosses the Ribeira de Abrilongo and connects Portugal to the small Spanish town of El Marco, in the municipality of La Codosera, in the province of Badajoz.
Its small size means that it can only be crossed on foot or by two-wheeled vehicles.
A brief look at its history
Despite the fact that it was built in the 21st century, the history of these cross-border settlements goes back much further than that. In fact, legend has it that, in times gone by, there was an improvised connection made of planks and logs, used by smugglers.
Tobacco, coffee and cork, among other items, served as the basis for illegal trade between Portugal and Spain. Due to the fragility of the construction, bad weather conditions often destroyed the connection between the two countries.
How to get there from Porto?
The world’s smallest international bridge is nowhere near Porto. In fact, to get there, you have to travel some 344 kilometers, a journey of more than 3h30 via the A4 and A23.
The smuggling era is long gone. But the reconstruction of the International Bridge of Marco serves not only as a testimony to the traditions and history of the region, but also as a small tourist attraction!