The best road cycling routes around Arca

A beautiful historic town to stop and get a bite to eat

Historical Context Origin of the name: The town of Ponte de Lima, the oldest in Portugal, derives its name from the bridge that crosses it. Way of St. James: The bridge is an important crossing point on the Portuguese Way of St. James. Legend: The legend of the Lima River, which runs under the bridge, tells that the Romans believed it to be the river of forgetfulness, which would have given rise to the myth that people who crossed it would forget their past lives.

The bridge that gives the Lima Bridge its name is actually a combination of two structures: a Roman section, built in the 1st century, and a medieval section, expanded in the 14th century. It crosses the Lima River and is one of the town's most emblematic monuments. Characteristics of the bridge Roman section: The remaining Roman section consists of five arches, and its construction is linked to the military road that connected the cities of Braga and Astorga. Medieval section: The medieval portion of the bridge is larger and was built to connect to the Roman section, extending the structure over the river. Material: The bridge is built of granite, using the Roman technique of "quadratum" and "vittatum" masonry.

A city bathed by the Lima River, with walking trails in the area and good food.👍🥾🇵🇹

The former hospital ship of the cod fleet is now a museum ship. The entrance fee of €5 per person is absolutely reasonable. For that, you get to see a lot of interesting things. The tour provides a very thorough explanation of life and technology on board. An audio guide is available as a helpful supplement. Much of the interior is still preserved. Absolutely worth seeing.

The former hospital ship is now a museum. The entrance fee (5 euros per person, September 2025) is well worth it. For that, you can walk through the entire ship and get a good impression of the conditions and technology of the time.

Next to the Tower of St. John, approximately where the Largo and Fountain of St. John now stand, there once stood a small chapel where St. John was venerated. Misfortune struck, and one day, the small chapel was severely damaged by a fire, with only a few statues surviving. With the demolition of the Tower of St. John, the chapel's fate was sealed and it, too, was dismantled. Construction of the Chapel of St. John began on April 9, 1863, at its current location, on the left bank of the Lima River, at the very end of Alameda de S. João. The building was completed in 1867 and blessed on June 16 of the same year. It has only one altar, but the richness of its carvings deserves to be highlighted and appreciated. The chapel is octagonal in shape and, according to Miguel Roque dos Reys Lemos, in his Municipal Annals of Ponte de Lima, was, and still is, an "elegant and beautiful" chapel. This same author states, "the materials used in all the masonry work were taken from the tower and original chapel of the same saint and from the adjacent small section of the wall that then stood at the mouth of Rua de S. João."

Inside is the tourist office.