A COUNTRY-WIDE walking route could help take the pressure off tourist-packed hotspots, while bolstering the economy of regions that are relatively unknown to travellers.
Such is the plan in Portugal, which is developing the world's largest circular walking route.
If you thought you'd seen everything in Portugal, then get set to explore a new circular walking route, promising to take visitors off the beaten track, from Lisbon, the Douro Valley and the Algarve to lesser-known corners such as the mountainous Tras-Os-Montes region.
And there'll be plenty to take in, since this circular walk will be 3,000km long.
It offers an alternative way of keeping Portugal on the map as a major destination for vacationers, while encouraging them to look beyond Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve.
It's also a way of boosting the economy of lesser-known parts of Portugal, which could benefit from tourist growth, especially outside the high season.
This project is known as Palmilhar Portugal.
The trail will be available to explore on foot or by bike from July, when the first section opens in Alenquer, north of Lisbon.
By the end of the year, some 15 sections should be open.
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