Augmented Reality in a Hiking Tour of the Miocene Geoheritage of the Central Algarve Cliffs (Portugal)

Eight sites with geological (including palaeontological and geomorphological) interest (geosites) representative of the Lower and Middle Miocene carbonate deposits near Albufeira in central Algarve (southern Portugal) have been selected based on our extended working experience. The sites can be visited by hiking in a 1-day field trip. A virtual 3D tour of the georeferenced sites was produced using augmented reality technique and geoinformatic tools which integrate thematic digital layers such as geological maps and orthophotos. Every stop in the tour includes descriptive and graphic elements that can be viewed in free virtual globes (e.g. Google Earth) combined with diagrams, photographs and information sheets that quantitatively assess the cultural-touristic, educational and scientific value of the geosites. A virtual flight itinerary compatible with video formats in the new free technologies (smartphones, tablets and iPads) is also presented.