![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-1388396690.jpg\")
\n\t\tSpain is visited by millions of British tourists each year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tSpain is visited by millions of British tourists each year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
With gorgeous, sandy beaches, tapas galore and Sangria by the bucketload, Spain <\/a>is an obvious destination for many British tourists \u2013 and was visited by more than 13 million of us in 2023.<\/p>\n As with many European destinations<\/a>, Spain <\/a>is also apt for exploring by car \u2013 and, if you\u2019ve got enough annual leave (and the terms of your hire car allow), dotting across the border into Portugal is a natural add-on.<\/p>\n Now, there\u2019ll be even more options to get between the two, as three new bridges could be built over the Erges, Guadiana, and Minho Rivers.<\/p>\n The new Guadiana Bridge, between Alcoutim and Sanl\u00facar de Guadiana, has already been confirmed. According to reports in The Portugal News,<\/a> this agreement has been signed by both Lisbon<\/a> and Madrid<\/a>, and is expected to cost around \u20ac13 million (\u00a311,414,000.00).<\/p>\n There\u2019s still a way to go to get the Minho Bridge underway, as the prospect was discussed during a meeting of the Luso-Spanish Joint Technical Commission on Bridges. The construction would start in the town of La Guardia in Spain and end in the Portuguese municipality of Caminha.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tSign up to The Getaway newsletter\t\t\t<\/p>\n Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n If approved, the new connections would open up new travel pathways between the two countries, as Guadiana is around three hours and 20 minutes by car from Madrid, and just under three hours from Seville<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following earlier talks in June, the Spanish government said that the aim of these new projects was to \u2018improve the conditions for the movement of vehicles and people between the two states,\u2019 though it\u2019s not yet clear when these three separate bridges could be open to the public.<\/p>\n These aren\u2019t the only bridges running between Spain and Portugal. There\u2019s also the original Guadiana\u00a0International Bridge, which runs from southern Spain (starting in the town of Ayamonte) and Castro Marim in Portugal. <\/p>\n \t\t It\u2019s been running since 1991, and it\u2019s the third-longest bridge in Portugal at 666 metres. Interestingly, there\u2019s also the smallest international bridge in the world, which is the six-metre-long Ponte Internacional do Marco.<\/p>\n Allowing tourists to hop from one country to another, it joins the Portuguese hamlet of V\u00e1rzea Grande with the Spanish village of El Marco, and was built in 2008 with funding from the European Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n Its unique nature has cemented it as a local tourist landmark, too, as visitors on either side of the border can easily mosey on over and flit between one country and another.<\/p>\n \t\t Sweden<\/a> and Copenhagen<\/a> are also famously connected by the \u00d8resund Bridge, which runs from Malm\u00f6 to Copenhagen.<\/p>\n Running for five miles, it\u2019s the second-longest bridge in Europe \u2013 and opened in 2000 after five years\u2019 worth of construction work.<\/p>\n It undoubtedly simplified the journey for countless Danes and Swedes, who had to endure a longer journey on the ferry before \u00d8resund opened.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the New Europe Bridge, which connects Bulgaria<\/a> and Romania<\/a> and runs between Vidin and Calafat. Alongside the Danube Bridge, which opened in 1954, it\u2019s been running passengers to and from the two Eastern European countries since it was unveiled in June 2013.<\/p>\n And, of course, the Severn and Prince of Wales<\/a> Bridges span the River Severn, connecting England and Wales.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tPortuguese city with a \u2018creative edge\u2019 is one of Europe\u2019s most beautiful \u2014 with hotels from \u00a343\t\t\t<\/p>\n Tiled buildings, sun-kissed streets, and\u00a0Portuguese<\/a>\u00a0sweet treats. Sound familiar?<\/p>\n Nope, we\u2019re not talking about\u00a0the Algarve<\/a>. Head around 30 miles north from\u00a0Porto<\/a>, and you\u2019ll find the city of\u00a0Guimar\u00e3es<\/a><\/strong>, a UNESCO Heritage site and the original capital of Portugal.<\/p>\n While it might get overshadowed by its more popular neighbour, Guimar\u00e3es\u00a0is well worth adding to your \u2018must-visit\u2019 list.<\/p>\n Dubbed one of the \u2018most beautiful small towns in\u00a0Europe<\/a>\u2019 by\u00a0CN Traveller<\/a>, historic Guimar\u00e3es has a little bit of everything: from a 1,000-year-old castle to a thriving arts scene, after being named the Capital of Culture back in 2012.<\/p>\n Lonely Planet<\/a>\u00a0describes its centre as \u2018a warren of labyrinthine lanes and picturesque plazas\u2019 but adds that it has a \u2018creative edge\u2019, making the city unique.<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Panoramic](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-1287084121.jpg\")
\n\t\tPortugal hit a peak for tourism in 2024, welcoming 31 million guests (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Road](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2176516518.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt\u2019s not yet clear when the three new bridges could open (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEI_277822237-42bc.jpg\")
\n\t\tOne of the bridges is set to cost around \u20ac13 million (Picture: Metro)
\nWhich other countries are connected by bridges?<\/p>\n
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