Easy hikes and walks around Loures

A lettering indicating the capital of Portugal.

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is officially the second-longest bridge in Europe at 17.2 km (10.6 miles). Adding the 12.345 km (7.64 miles) of structural bridgework to the 4.84 km (3.91 miles) of roadwork, the road concept for this Tagus River crossing results in a route length of 17.185 km (10.66 miles). The maximum span is 420 meters (139 feet), and the pylons are 155 meters (510 feet) high. The A12 motorway crosses the bridge with six lanes.

The elevator to the top of the tower, with its fantastic view, costs 10 euros. There's a bar at the top with exorbitant prices.

Beautiful grassy riverside walk and activity park

By naming this bridge after him, the capital of Portugal honors one of the country's greatest sailors and explorers: Vasco da Gama, born around 1469 in Sines (now the district of Setubal). He was of noble birth and a member of the "Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ," and enjoyed the trust of King Manuel I. At the end of the 15th century, several European states strove to find a sea route to India (his contemporary Christopher Columbus, for example, had sailed west on behalf of the Spanish royal family and, without even realizing it, discovered America in 1492). Vasco da Gama, on the other hand, opted for the southern route: in 1498, he circumnavigated the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and successfully continued on to India, where he became its second viceroy. Even 500 years after his death (1524), his name is by no means forgotten and lives on in this modern 20th-century building.

The park has three distinct areas: the Central Nave of Quinta das Conchas, the Woods and the Lilacs. The Central Nave, the largest area, is made up of large lawns dotted with trees and offers open views, which invite you to play ball and have picnics on the grass. It is bordered at the highest point by a group of olive and olive trees and, at the bottom, next to the large lake, there is a mass of large eucalyptus trees, classified as a grove of trees of public interest, where there are picnic tables, in an excellent area for relaxing. The Woods, a denser forest area with more intact nature, is made up of a varied set of tree species, with a stand of trees of the ZelKova Serrata species, also classified as a public interest, standing out, as well as Himalayan cedars and Buçaco cedars. In some places, there is a dense cover of shrubs, such as adernos, sanguinhos, elders and hawthorns, which are very important for several species of birds as shelter, feeding and nesting sites. Separated from Quinta das Conchas by a wall, we have Quinta dos Lilases, a more secluded environment, with its famous artificial lake, of romantic inspiration, representing the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. The vegetation is marked by the alignment of olive trees next to the wall of Quinta das Conchas and by the presence of eucalyptus, poplars, ash trees, gleditsias and species of the Quercus genus. The shrub layer is reduced, with pomegranate trees and notable groups of old and large box trees standing out. The clearing areas are covered in dry grassland. This farm has a community orchard area, recently built as part of a Participatory Project. The existence of diverse habitats gives this Park great value in terms of biodiversity, with a higher number of species than usual for urban green spaces.

The name of the park indicates that in the past there were two large quintas here. Quinta is a tough word to translate, it is similar to the French château or country house. Those quintas were called Conchas and Lilases. The quintas were built in the 16th century and were always inhabited by prosperous Portuguese families who traded in coffee. Since 1966 the quintas have been managed by the city of Lisbon. For a long time nothing was done with the quintas and the surrounding lands. In 2005, the quintas were opened to the public and the park was laid out.

Very nice area/park under the bridge. Here you can pursue your fitness activities but also go for a walk with the dog 🐕