percursos

Percurso is a term used in Portuguese to denote a path, course, or route between points. It can refer to physical paths for travel or recreation, an itinerary connecting places of interest, or a sequence of activities in education or professional development. The word comes from Latin percurrere, meaning to run through or to go across.

In geography and outdoor recreation, percursos describe physical routes for walking, hiking, cycling, or driving. They are typically characterized by distance, elevation gain, surface type, terrain, duration, and difficulty. Percursos are marked by signs or maps and may include waypoints, viewpoints, shelters, and safety information. Public agencies, parks, and tour operators publish percursos such as percursos pedestres or percursos cicláveis, and many are collected in digital platforms for planning and navigation.

In tourism, percursos often refer to itineraries that link multiple attractions or experiences in a logical sequence. A percurso turístico or roteiro aims to optimize travel time, logistics, and user experience, and can range from short city walks to multi-day tours with accommodations and transport arrangements.

In education and professional development, percursos formativos or percursos profissionais describe learning or career pathways. They outline a sequence of modules, credits, or qualifications that lead to a specific competency or credential, and are used by schools, universities, and training providers to structure curricula and progression.

In transportation and technology, percursos also denote the designated route of a bus, tram, or train service, including stops and timetables, and the concept of path or route is used in computing to describe a sequence of nodes in a graph. Planning percursos emphasizes accessibility, safety, sustainability, and user experience.