Where is the longest bridge in the EU?

Some bridges connect two sides of a river.

Others connect eras.

Stretching over 12 kilometers across the Tagus River, the Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest bridge in the European Union. That’s 7.4 miles of steel and concrete reaching toward the horizon.

Opened in 1998, it was named after Vasco da Gama, the explorer who sailed from Lisbon to India in the 15th century. A fitting tribute. Portugal has always looked outward.

Driving across the bridge feels almost surreal. The Tagus widens until it resembles the sea. Water stretches endlessly on both sides. On clear days, the sky melts into the river in a soft blue blur.

It’s so long that engineers had to account for the curvature of the Earth when building it. Over that distance, the planet’s roundness matters. The structure was also designed to withstand strong Atlantic winds and powerful earthquakes.

Strong. Elegant. Forward-looking.

Much like Lisbon itself.

Portugal’s capital glows with golden light. Trams climb steep cobbled streets. Azulejo tiles shimmer on historic facades. Cafés spill into sunlit squares. And down by the river, you can still feel the spirit of exploration that once shaped the world.

Lisbon is one highlight of the Explore Spain and Portugal journey. Over 15 days, you travel from Madrid through Granada’s rolling hills, Seville’s flamenco nights, Algarve’s beaches, and Porto’s riverside wine cellars.

You admire art by Picasso, Dalí, and Gaudí. You taste tapas. You sip port. You embrace two spirited countries guided by local insight.

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is more than infrastructure.It’s a reminder that travel is about crossing into something new.