Picturesque sunsets, historic bridges, and a rich culinary scene have long made Porto a destination where romance meets legend. Some spots, as in many European cities, have become synonymous with promises of eternal love, recognizable today by their collection of padlocks. However, there are those who believe that lovers who travel there are destined for a breakup upon their return.
Below, we’ll tell you about the origins of these traditions that have become so popular in recent times:
Love stories on Porto’s most iconic bridge
The iconic Dom Luís I Bridge bears witness to countless romances unfolding in this Portuguese city of 230,000 inhabitants. Its railings are adorned with hundreds of padlocks engraved with initials and dates.
This tradition, which symbolizes a promise of eternal love, is found all over the world. It gained popularity following the publication of Federico Moccia’s novel I Want You. The characters brought to life by the Italian author seal their love with this gesture on a Roman bridge and then throw the key into the Tiber River.
The consequences of getting carried away by what’s depicted in fiction vary from couple to couple, but the impact on the city’s heritage is clear. Porto periodically removes the padlocks to prevent structural damage to this 19th-century building. Other cities, such as Florence (Italy) and Canberra (Australia), are even more restrictive and have banned the practice entirely.
The “curse” of breakups
The origin of this belief is unknown, though it gained traction thanks to social media. Many travelers report that their relationship ended after returning from a trip to Porto, but several factors influence that perception.
Psychologists note that trips are a common strategy among couples seeking to rekindle their romantic bonds and disconnect from routine. However, the intense time spent together during these days of travel can also lead to misunderstandings surfacing or problems resurfacing that had previously remained in the background. In this sense, it’s not surprising that if a breakup occurs after returning, the brain associates the end of the relationship with that last trip to Portugal as the main trigger.
This feeling is more widespread in Galicia. Its geographical proximity makes Porto the most common romantic first destination for couples in the region, increasing the likelihood of associating the getaway to the neighboring country with changes in the relationship.
This so-called “curse” isn’t limited to northern Portugal: Paris, Venice, and Bali (Indonesia) are all dogged by the same reputation. The romanticization of travel, unexpected events that may arise, and cultural differences are other contributing factors.
