New scenarios for the Palmaria island (Porto Venere- Ligurian Sea)

The Palmaria island in the municipality of Porto Venere between the Gulf of La Spezia and the Cinque Terre (Italy) is a complex and integrated system, consisting of several cultural heritage. The way to arrive at a vision of global landscape, understood as the network connection of all the other elements of great historical value begins in 1939 (law no 1497) when the site was declared of great public interest and the landscape has been protected as a single asset with a landscape bond. In 1997, after being recognised as a World Heritage Site, the aims of the active management of this area were: public reuse of the historical and cultural buildings, revaluation of the landscape as an integrated system composed by many singular and peculiar elements and promotion of an alternative cultural tourism compatible with the conservation of the landscape. In 2016 the State Property Agency signed a understanding memorandum with the Ministry of Defence, the Navy, the Liguria Region and the Municipality of Porto Venere for the enhancement of more than 100 public property, including buildings and land, present in the Palmaria Island. How will change the landscape of the island after these agreements between public authorities? The intent of this study is to propose guidelines for an integrated and sustainable management of this unique coastal landscape with the aim of promoting cultural tourism without harming the local population. The landscape is understood as 'a sheet without seams' and becomes the connection of the historical, cultural and natural elements of both land and sea. Within this network some pilot projects are proposed, that contribute to the development of a sustainable tourism model, responding to different needs of different social categories that frequent the area. Among the topics studied: the regeneration of the landscape, the revaluation of the history, traditions and cuisine, the recovery of the relationship with the sea as a landscape value, intelligent reuse of public buildings with existing cultural and historic value.