Italy is a classic country of tourism, extremely popular all over the world. Ancient beautiful cities with their unique monuments and treasures of art, favorable climate and luxurious nature of the country brought it worldwide fame. Here they will offer rest for every taste. Beautiful diverse landscapes, extensive beaches, numerous cultural monuments of this country always fascinate tourists.
Italy - Italian Republic, a state in Western Europe, a member of the Schengen Agreement.
Territory: 301,230 km2. Italy is home to two tiny states: the Vatican in Rome and the Republic of San Marino, bordering the Marche and Emilia-Romagna provinces.
Population: about 59 million people.
Government system: presidential republic.
State language: Italian.
Capital: Rome.
Capital
Rome has almost 3,000 years of history, and for that it is rightly called the "eternal city". The glory of Rome consists of priceless masterpieces of culture and art. Among them are the Colosseum, the Forum, the Triumphal Arch of Constantine, the architecture of the Tiber embankment, Venice Square, etc.
While in Rome, hardly anyone will refuse to visit the Vatican - the smallest, but also the richest state in the world. The main attraction of the Vatican - St. Peter's Basilica - the largest and most important Catholic cathedral in the world.
Religion
The vast majority of believers are Catholics.
Nature and geography
The country is located in the south of Europe. It occupies the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as well as many small islands. It borders: with France - in the west, with Austria and Switzerland - in the north, with Slovenia - in the northeast. It is washed by the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea - in the west, the Adriatic Sea - in the east, and the Mediterranean Sea - in the south.
Italy is mainly a mountainous country: its north is occupied by the southern slopes of the Alps, where the highest peak in Europe, Mont Blanc (4807 m), is located; to the south - the Padan plain, on the peninsula - the Apennine mountains (the highest point of Korno - 2914 m). Two famous active volcanoes are in Italy: Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed the ancient Bay of Naples cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79, and Mount Etna, whose last eruption occurred on October 27, 2002, destroying a cable car. The largest concentration of lakes is in the Lombardy region: Como, Maggiore, Garda - these large alpine lakes were created as a result of the erosion of mountain glaciers. Italy has a very diverse vegetation. However, dense population and human activity have led to the fact that everywhere in the country, with the exception of the highlands, cultural landscapes prevail. Forests occupy only 20% of the territory, mainly in the mountains and hills, while the plains are practically treeless. The most common trees are oak, birch and pine. Alleys of poplars, willows, white acacias decorate roads, banks of canals and rivers.
Evergreen trees and shrubs stretch along the coast of the Apennine Peninsula and islands in a wide strip. Of the wild plant species, evergreen stone and cork oaks, pines and alpine pines, mastic trees, palm trees, cacti, and agaves stand out here. However, cultural species prevail here, primarily subtropical - citrus fruits, olives, almonds, pomegranates, figs, cork oak groves planted by humans.
It is impossible not to say about the alpine meadows, they are especially famous for their rich and juicy herbs. Mountain meadows are used as summer pastures. Above the mountain meadows to the very peaks or glaciers, the slopes are covered with moss and lichens.
Climate
The climate is Mediterranean. The Alps protect Italy from the northern winds. The average temperature in January is from 0 to 12 °C, in July from 20 to 28 °C.
Three climatic zones can be distinguished in Italy. In mountainous areas (Alps and Apennines), winter is cold and summer is hot. The climate around Milan is moderately warm. In the rest of Italy, the winter is quite mild, the dry and hot summer is softened by a light sea breeze (its influence is most noticeable on the coasts of the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas). In the south, in the mainland of the country and on the islands, including Sicily, the climate is subtropical.
Kitchen
In Italy, food has always been understood. Italians are great gourmets and recognize only the best in food. Italian cuisine is very diverse.
Each region has its own typical dishes and wines: Venetian prawns on a rasp, Roman roast veal, Milanese risotto, mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk, swordfish and, of course, pasta. The general word pasta in Italy refers to the huge number of dough products that have hundreds of names and flavors.
Desserts in Italy are excellent - there are so many varieties of wonderful ice cream ("gelato") that you can't find anywhere in the world, since it is here that there are numerous varieties and types of this cold delight. Unsurpassed "tiramisu" cake (soaked Savoyard cookies or sponge with cream, sprinkled with grated cocoa), candied nuts and fruits of all kinds, the most diverse varieties of chocolate and air cookies.
Excellent Italian wines, without which a local table cannot be imagined. There is simply not enough space to list even the best - almost the entire territory of the country is occupied by vineyards, and each of them serves as the basis for its own type of wine. The incomparable taste properties of Italian "Chianti", "Martini" vermouth and "Campari" aperitif, "Asti" sparkling wines, beautiful Italian liqueurs "Amaretto" and "Sambuca", popular and national vodka - "grappa" ( is produced not from the grapes themselves, but from "waste" - seeds and pulp). Limoncello lemon vodka is no less famous.
Attractions:
Italy is a classic country of tourism, extremely popular all over the world. Ancient beautiful cities with their unique monuments and treasures of art, favorable climate and luxurious nature of the country brought it worldwide fame. Here they will offer rest for every taste. Beautiful diverse landscapes, extensive beaches, numerous cultural monuments of this country always fascinate tourists.
Florence - the capital of Tuscany - is not inferior to Rome in the wealth and grandeur of its monuments. Such brilliant Florentines as Dante Alleghieri were born, lived and created here (his house, by the way, has survived to this day), Michelangelo Buonarroti, Botticelli, Raphael. The magnificent Medici shone here. These names will always attract tourists from all over the world. If there is an opportunity to stay longer on the Tuscan land, then the wonderful Pisa with its Square of Miracles, Siena, Lucca are waiting for you.
Venice is the most romantic city in the world. It is built on a hundred islands connected by 400 bridges. Milan's glory consists of the spiers of the Duomo Cathedral, a masterpiece of European Gothic, and the La Skala opera house. The pearl of southern Italy is Naples. He absorbed various languages and cultures and created his unique Neapolitan style.
Having visited the south, of course, you cannot miss the opportunity to visit Pompeii - the ancient city, which in 78 AD was covered with lava erupted by Mount Vesuvius.
Transport:
All cities in Italy are connected by a network of bus and railway roads, in Rome, Milan and Naples you can also use the metro. Travel by ground transport is paid for by tickets, which are sold only at subway ticket offices or newsstands.
