Integrating Rural Micro-Structures, Visibility Analysis and Slow Mobility for Landscape Planning in the Etna Terraced Landscape

Terraced vineyard landscapes represent complex cultural systems shaped by long-term interactions between geomorphology, agriculture and rural heritage. This study investigates the terraced viticultural landscape of Castiglione di Sicilia, located on the northern slope of Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy), through an integrated GIS-based framework combining Landscape Character Assessment (LCA), rural micro-structure mapping, visibility analysis and slow mobility assessment. Attention was given to dry-stone walls and traditional rural micro-structures, recognized as key components of the historical landscape identity of Etna. The methodology integrated geomorphological variables, vineyard distribution, dry-stone wall density and slope suitability within a Rural Micro-Structure Intensity Framework (RMSI) developed to identify areas characterized by stronger continuity of terraced rural landscapes. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of the weighting scheme. Slow mobility corridors were subsequently analyzed according to their relationship with landscape continuity and scenic visibility. The results reveal a strong spatial association between vineyards, dry-stone wall systems and historically structured terraced landscapes. Visibility analysis highlighted that highly visible areas do not fully correspond to the highest RMSI values, reflecting the geomorphological complexity of the volcanic environment. The corridor providing the best balance between scenic visibility, rural heritage continuity and route accessibility emerged as the most suitable option for landscape-oriented planning. The proposed framework supports landscape-sensitive planning and sustainable territorial valorization in Mediterranean terraced agricultural systems.