An ancient path, a road, a route, a territorial context of historical events. These are the European cultural itineraries; places to defend, to recover and improve for the cultural growth and the economic development of the country.

The Council of Europe has recognized three cultural itinerary in Italy: Via Francigena, a great path that was the main route of communication and pilgrimage from North Europe to Rome in the Middle Ages ; Via Carolingia, the itinerary of Charlemagne’s journey to Rome in the 800 a.C.; Rotta dei Fenici (Phoenicians’ Route), the network of the great nautical courses which Phoenicians used since the twelfth century B.C. as the main trade and cultural lines of communication in the Mediterranean Sea. The Prime Minister Romano Prodi and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of cultural goods and activities Francesco Rutelli, introduced the European cultural itineraries of Italian country, in the 14^th July 2006 at Palazzo Chigi in Rome in the presence of the delegates of Italian regions, many ministries, promoting offices and trade associations. Moreover, on that occasion,  the Agreement Protocol about the improvement of the three itineraries was explained and subscribed both by Ministry “Beni e le Attività Culturali” and the “Direzione Generale Turismo del Ministero Attività Produttive and by the associations of the itineraries’ local institutions.