This publication addresses the complex challenge of how to shape, develop and plan contemporary cities with a continuous history spanning several historical periods. The contributors are eminent scholars, town planners, economists and archaeologists as well as experts in safeguard and enhancement, project management and local marketing, who have combined their expertise and skills in creating an outline of a possible future roadmap for the historic cities. The volume is the result of the Catania based research project TeCHNIC "Tools for cultural heritage management in urban context", funded by the Italian Minister of the University and Research to ISPC-CNR within the funding program "proof of Concept".