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Spain's most spectacular walking route just got even better
The Caminito del Rey has unveiled a brand new 110-metre suspension bridge, the longest of its kind in Spain, and it is open to visitors from today
If you thought the Caminito del Rey was already one of the most breathtaking walks in Spain, it just raised the bar. A brand new 110-metre suspension bridge has been inaugurated on the iconic Málaga route, hanging at a maximum height of 50 metres above the Guadalhorce gorge and offering visitors a perspective of the Gaitanes canyon that simply did not exist before.The bridge opened officially on Tuesday and welcomes its first visitors today. Built at a cost of €1.5 million, funded entirely from revenue generated by the Caminito del Rey itself, the structure weighs around 17 tonnes and features steel cable and mesh railings. The total project, including new trail sections, surveillance systems, fibre optics and environmental protection measures, comes to 38 tonnes in all.
Getting it there was no small feat. Andalucía's acting president Juanma Moreno, who attended the inauguration alongside Málaga Provincial Council president Francisco Salado, described it as "quite a technical challenge," one that required helicopters to complete. Some, he added, might even call it "a crazy project," echoing the spirit of the original Caminito's construction at the beginning of the 20th century.
As well as adding a dramatic new experience, the bridge serves a practical purpose. It provides an alternative to almost a kilometre of steep downhill terrain at the end of the route, improving both safety and accessibility. Visitors who prefer the original path can still take it.
The project was carried out following recommendations from geological studies by the universities of Granada and Jaén, which advised creating an alternative route in that section. The expansion had been planned for some time, with the project forming part of a wider ambition to grow the Caminito del Rey experience.
The Caminito del Rey follows the dramatic clifftop path carved into the walls of the Gaitanes Gorge, a route that was once considered one of the most dangerous in the world before its rehabilitation and reopening in 2015. Since then, more than 3.2 million people have walked it, with around 330,000 visitors a year making it one of Andalucía's most visited natural attractions. More than half of all visitors are international tourists, with the largest numbers coming from the UK, France and Germany.The economic impact on the surrounding area has been transformative. The route now generates over €64 million a year for the local economy, has led to a 24% increase in businesses in nearby municipalities including Álora, Ardales and Antequera, and has contributed to the creation of around 685 companies and nearly 700 jobs.
Salado summed it up neatly, calling the Caminito "an infrastructure with soul, in which man and nature interact with respect." With a new bridge to cross and more phases still planned for the future, that story is far from over.Images: Alina Rossoshanska, Nina SaaIfrank and Alina Rossoshanska/Pexels
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