Ancient roads in Southern Italy: an hypothesis of requalification for the valorization of the rural tourism.

The current rural heritage in a specific area represents the form that the man has been able to give to his surroundings. Over the centuries, in many European rural areas, the roads have lost their traditional design motivation. Their requalification in the framework of a sustainable development of the rural areas can be an important way for a sustainable development of rural tourism. It could pass through the valorization of route-based itineraries designed on some ancient roads, as those built in Europe by the Romans or during the middle-age for religious pilgrimages. The “Francigena Way" is a combination of arterial roads dating back to the roman epoch; the “Herculia Way" is a part of the “Francigena Way" that was built in Southern Italy. In this paper the possible requalification of a part of the Herculia Way has been hypotized. Some ancient paths, known as “tratturi” (sheep-tracks) and small royal tratturi, partly still existing, have been detected and located on historical maps, for a possible structural and functional restore, with the creation of a route that could be run along by walking, by bicycle or on horseback. This redevelopment could contribute to the protection and enhancement of the rural landscape elements examined, to the sustainable management of the environment and the enhancement of rural history and, more generally, to the promotion of rural tourism.