The bridge that gives Ponte de Lima its name has stood in some form since Roman times, though the surviving structure dates largely from the 14th and 15th centuries when the town held an important crossing on the route north toward Galicia. Twenty arches span the Lima river, and the medieval section joins seamlessly with a later Roman-style extension on the northern end.
Walking the bridge is the obvious thing to do — the views of the town, the riverside arcades, and the mountains beyond are very fine. In the early morning before the day-trippers arrive, the bridge is nearly empty and the Lima runs silent beneath it. The town market sets up on the riverbank beside the bridge twice a month (on alternate Mondays since 1125), and on those days the whole scene becomes something close to medieval.