Footpaths and walking tourism in Portugal

Abstract

Walking is an increasingly motivating activity, which is getting more and more adepts everywhere. Flagged footpaths have been and are still created in order to offer guidance and to make this activity easier and safer for those interested in such ways of getting to know a country or a region. The present article is focused on footpaths and walking tourism in Portugal. It aims at assessing the dimension and territorial expression of this reality by analysing the existing resources and the available walking tourism programs. In Portugal there are nearly 3500 kilometres of walking trails, especially in mountain areas and areas of high natural interest. There is also a relevant set of operators (domestic and foreign) specialized in providing walking tourism programs. The main walking tourism destinations in Portugal are also the mountain areas and places of high natural interest. Walking tourism is an opportunity to revitalize these areas.