Portugal could soon lay claim to the longest circular walking route in the world with plans to establish a 3,000-km loop. The mastermind behind this idea is Ricardo Bernardes, a walking enthusiast and communication design consultant. He aims to develop the Palmilhar Portugal (Walking Portugal) trail, a “360-degree route” that would traverse up to 100 coastal, southern, northern, and frontier districts across the country.
First Section to Open in July
Local councils will collaborate on this project, starting with the town of Alenquer, north of Lisbon, which is set to inaugurate the first section in July 2024. The central region of Alentejo will follow, along with the northern region of Trás-os-Montes. Bernardes needs participation from a third of the country’s districts, with costs potentially reaching €3.5 million.
Health and Sustainable Tourism Benefits
Bernardes highlights the health and well-being benefits the trail could offer, while also playing a significant role in promoting sustainable tourism. The trail aims to draw tourists away from over-exploited or crowded locations and raise awareness of other parts of Portugal’s offerings. It would encourage “domestic and foreign tourists to discover the best that the country has to offer in terms of heritage, landscape, fauna, flora, customs, and traditions,” Bernardes said. “Above all, it will redistribute tourism to lesser-known parts of Portugal, creating a much more geographically diverse tourist interaction.”
Cultural and Sporting Potential
The trail has the potential to collaborate with hospitality businesses, hotels, and vineyards, as well as national and international events such as hiking and cycling competitions or art and music festivals. Bernardes also notes that it could “play an active role in territorial cohesion and in mitigating tourist seasonality in various regions,” adding that he hopes to involve “cultural and sporting organizations as well as hotels and restaurants.”
International Comparisons
While the trail would be the world’s longest loop, its length would be comparable to Europe’s Via Francigena, the historic pilgrimage route to Rome. However, it would still be much shorter than the world’s longest hiking trail: Canada’s 24,000-km (14,912-mile) “Great Trail,” which opened in 2017 and spans the country from coast to coast, including the Rocky Mountains and Mackenzie River.
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