Green routes in Green Spain: cultural heritage, sustainable tourism and rural revitalisation

Abstract

This article examines the role of greenways as instruments for tourism, cultural, and territorial development in Spain’s “Green Spain” regions (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country). Using a comparative approach, the study analyzes 12 active routes between 2022 and 2025 through a mixed methodology that combines document review, official public reports from local actors, and the construction of an Integrated Cultural Tourism Index (IITC). Notable cases such as the Senda del Oso and GR-38 highlight how cultural narratives and inclusive tourism strategies enhance territorial impact. Nevertheless, recurrent barriers are identified, including unstable funding, weak connectivity with public transport, and the absence of standardized monitoring indicators. The study concludes that greenways hold high replicability potential, provided they are adapted to local specificities and embedded within broader policies of sustainable tourism and rural cohesion. ). Findings reveal that greenways, when managed through collaborative governance and territorial logic, act as catalysts for sustainable development, fostering cultural heritage valorization, soft mobility, and green job creation.