1. 1. Introduction to the course of urban history

2. Cities as tourist destinations The importance of urban centres to global tourism, both business and leisure. City destinations ranking (source: Euromonitor International). Over a third of the top hundred destinations are located in the Asian Pacific region. The top three are Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok. London and Paris are Western Europe’s leading cities. For cultural tourism, European cities remain probably world leaders.

5. The aims of the course Build a patrimony of historic knowledge useful for the enhancement of urban tourism. Experiencing the planning of tourist and cultural routes within the cities. Discussing strategies and initiatives to promote the cities images. Structure and contents of the course.

6. The city in European history In 2008, for the first time, the majority of the world’s inhabitants lived in cities. Europe as one of the most urbanized continents since the Middle Ages. The city as a pillar of European continuity and stability. Trade, culture, industrial specialization, service sector, political power, immigration. The distinctiveness of the European urban system in the globalized world. A way of life?

7. The nature of urban history An ambiguous definition. The origins: city chronicles and early towns histories in the Middle Ages. Urban history as an academic subject. Max Weber, Chicago School. The impact of the social and cultural history. «Annales», social anthropologists, British school. The urban history in Italy.

8. Spaces of the European urban development

9. Times of the European urban development VIII-early XIV: slowly urban progress. XIV-XV: widespread downturn. XVI-early XVII: urban revival. XVII-first half XVIII: stagnation and decline. Second half XVIII-first half XIX: selective growth. Second half XIX-1970s-80s: urban explosion.