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Usability of the land

Although not formally mentioned in the declaration of Outstanding Universal Value, nevertheless, additional attributes have been identified that directly and indirectly support the Outstanding Universal Value and are connected to historical accessibility and use.
These are:

  • the mooring system
  • the coastal road (including the “Via dell’Amore”)
  • the high road or “Strada dei Santuari”

Some aspects, such as the hiking network, the road network and parking, and the moorings and beaches, can be considered site attributes for several reasons:

  • each of them represents a traditional way of accessing, crossing, and enjoying the territory, which is in itself part of the site’s cultural landscape;
  • each of them presents an aspect that must be embraced to fully understand the value of the site;
  • the emotional experience that each of them transmits contributes to defining the site’s image as it has become established worldwide, following the huge influx of tourists.

These elements are:

  • the mooring system, a genetic principle and an integral element of maritime villages, which today are among the main accesses to the territory and allow its visibility from the sea;
  • the coastal path, which joins the maritime villages by land, allows a close view and physical contact with nature and traditional artefacts, offering a sense of the time and space of the historic landscape;
  • the high road “dei sanctuari”, the only modern crossing of the territory, allows sequential enjoyment of the overall views of the different landscape areas and understanding the location of the site in the context of the Ligurian territory and in relation to distant references – Corsica and the Tuscan islands, the Apuan Alps, the Apennines, and the Alps. The recognition of the attribute’s value also prevents the road from being interpreted as a traffic infrastructure which favours motorised tourism, and favours private vehicle access to the villages to the detriment of the rest of the territory, as well as allowing a quick route towards other destinations.