02 – DISCOVERING THE PAIVA WALKWAYS AND THE BIGGEST TRILOBITE FOSSILS IN THE WORLD

Location: Paiva Valley, Arouca

Level of difficulty (physical requirement): High

The Paiva Walkways (Passadiços do Paiva), located in the magnificent valley of the Paiva river, SIC Natura 2000 Network, are the most recent nature tourism project implemented by the municipality of Arouca, winner of the World Travel Awards 2016, in the category of "Best Tourism Development Project Europe in 2016 ".

This visit proposes a walk of approximately 8 km, along the Paiva Walkways, along which you will know the details of this project, of economic and environmental valorization of the Paiva river and valley. This hiking trail is part of the itinerary B: «Paiva: the amazing valley» of the Geosites Route of the Arouca Geopark, where five geosites will be visited and interpreted along a riparian gallery that still preserves valuable flora and fauna species. Follows a visit to a Geosite of international relevance of the Arouca Geopark where you will find the largest trilobites in the world, the "Trilobites Gigantes de Canelas".