Vizcaya Bridge

The Vizcaya Bridge (Puente Colgante, or Hanging Bridge) is the star attraction of Portugalete and one of the most singular structures in Spain. Built in 1893 by engineer Alberto de Palacio, it stretches across the mouth of the Nervión River at a height of 45 metres, carrying a suspended gondola platform between Portugalete on the west bank and Las Arenas (Getxo) on the east. It is the world's oldest transporter bridge still in operation and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

You can cross as a passenger on the gondola — a short crossing that takes about 90 seconds and costs a couple of euros, giving you a taste of the working river. For better views, pay more for the upper walkway, which crosses at the level of the ironwork and delivers panoramic views of the Nervión estuary, the industrial shoreline, and the Cantabrian coast beyond. The walkway is accessed by lift from the Portugalete side and takes about 20 minutes to cross at a leisurely pace.

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A story
Built by Alberto de Palacio, a student of Gustave Eiffel, the Vizcaya Bridge solved a peculiar problem: Bilbao's industrial traffic needed to cross the Nervión estuary, but sailing ships also needed to pass through. The solution — a gondola hanging from a high iron framework 45 metres above the water — was so novel that it took years to find a willing constructor. When it opened in 1893 it was the world's first transporter bridge, and it still runs today.