Ponte De Abril Bridge, Lisbon

Ponte 25 de Abril: Lisbon’s Red Bridge

The Ponte 25 de Abril was designed by the same company that built the Golden Gate Bridge (American Bridge Company and United States Steel), which explains the visual resemblance: both are suspension bridges with red painted steel towers. The Lisbon bridge opened in 1966, nine years before the Golden Gate’s 1967 counterpart. It was named Ponte Salazar after the dictator until the Carnation Revolution overthrew his successor in April 1974; the bridge was renamed to mark the date. The road deck carries traffic in both directions; a second deck was added below in 1999 carrying the Fertagus suburban railway line to the south bank.

The bridge is 2.277km long with a main span of 1,013 metres. The towers are 190 metres above the water. The Tagus at this point is about 1.6km wide. The bridge carries about 150,000 vehicles per day, making it one of the busiest bridges in Europe.

Seeing the Bridge

The best views are from the Alcântara waterfront district on the north bank, looking south across the river. The LX Factory — a former industrial complex repurposed as a market, restaurant, and creative space — is immediately adjacent to the bridge’s north approach and is worth visiting independently. Sunday is the main market day.

The Cristo Rei statue on the south bank, directly visible from the north bank, was completed in 1959, inspired by the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. A lift and stairs bring you to the base of the statue for views across the Tagus and back to Lisbon; the city panorama from here, with the bridge in the foreground, is one of the better views of Lisbon available.

The Pilar 7 visitor centre on the north riverbank below the bridge allows access to the base of one of the bridge’s pillars and a view directly upward into the structure. The experience is industrial rather than pastoral and more interesting for people who find infrastructure engaging.

Lisbon Beyond the Bridge

The Belém district is about 4km west of the bridge along the waterfront. The Jerónimos Monastery (completed 1601, Manueline Gothic, UNESCO-listed) and the Tower of Belém are the main attractions. The monastery contains the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões, Portugal’s national poet. The pastéis de Belém from the original Antiga Confeitaria de Belém bakery, about 200 metres from the monastery, are the best version of the custard tart anywhere in Portugal; the recipe dates to 1837.

For accommodation, Belém and Alcântara have options at various price points; the historic centre (Baixa, Chiado, Mouraria) is a 15-minute tram or metro ride east. Tram 15E connects Praça da Figueira in central Lisbon to Belém directly.