ITALY

Romantic, religious, mountainous, Mediterranean, cultural, historical and with admirable architecture, attractive cars and a superb gastronomy. If you choose Italy as your destination and travel through Europe, you will certainly not regret it. Part of southern Europe, bordered to the north by the Alps and with two islands belonging to its territory in the Mediterranean, in Italy each of the cities has its own magic. With its narrow streets through which cars can hardly enter, it’s better to go by bike or just on foot. You will enjoy it more.

And everywhere you will find people, friendly people, singing, full of life. Cheerful, with that typical loud voice with which they often speak. No, do not panic! They speak loud everywhere. But it is just for saying hi! and to greet you. Come! Travel to Italy and fall in love with this southern peninsula.

Official Language of Italy

When you visit, immerse yourself in an environment where in every corner you will hear Italian, the official language of Italy. The same language which the famous Dante Alighieri spoke and wrote his poems in. In some parts of the country you can even hear German and Slovenian, since such areas are populated by minority groups. So your trip to Italy will be more interesting, especially if you like languages.

Italy: its People and its Regions

With over 60 million inhabitants, it belongs to the most populated countries in Europe. And among them always, every day of the year, millions of tourists who admire this jewel put into work the locomotive of the tourism industry in Italy. But who would not go there? As it offers so much to see, to learn and discover you would not be surprised although it was not the first time you visited it.

You yourself can choose, through which regions of Italy you want to travel. It is divided into 20 regions united in 5 areas. These areas are northern, central and southern Italy and the islands. In this latter area, there are two islands, Sardinia and Sicily that are also part of Italy. Each region is original and offers its own customs and culture. In each one you can find something that will fill you with joy and a passion to know even more.

The Capital and Other Cities

The capital of Italy is Rome. If you want to see it and know it well, get ready because it would be a shame to let this opportunity escape. Great treasures are here in the Eternal City, and only one day to see it, actually is not enough. If you do not have time to travel to Rome for longer, we suggest you at least visit the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain and the Piazza Navona.
 

But Italy is not just a trip to Rome. There are other large and small Italian cities that proudly teach everything that should never be hidden. In Milan, Naples, Turin, Bologna, Florence, Venice and others, forget your problems and escape to a place full of history and romance.

Member of the EU and the Euro Area

From 25 March 1957 Italy was part of the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the European Union (EU) and 42 years later, a member of the eurozone too. So if you decide to travel to Italy you'll need euros as the euro is its official currency.

Weather in Italy

On this journey come and experience the weather in Italy. Regarding its climate, the weather is highly variable between regions, particularly between north and south. The northern part, especially in the Alps, has cold winters (-2ºC) with heavy snow, and warm summers (28ºC). The southern winters are not as harsh (+9ºC) but summers are, on the contrary, quite warm (33°C). We could say that the central part of the country has a temperate climate as it has pleasant summers (28°C) as well as winters (+3°C).

Two Independent States

If you look closely at the map of Italy you will find within Italy two independent states: San Marino and the Vatican City. They are very small states within Italy. Overall, the Vatican City is always visited by tourists who come to spend their holidays in Rome.

Religion, Italian Art and Nature

Almost 90% of Italians are Catholic but not all of them practise their religion. Most of the others form the Jehovah's Witnesses community.

Italian art is so famous that we could talk for hours of its works and artists. Of the most famous are Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, while among composers there are Antonio Vivaldi and Giuseppe Verdi. Their music and artwork are still taught today in schools, colleges and universities.

When you decide that Italy will be your destination for your travel to Europe, you should know that not only its major cities describe its history, culture and art but also the beautiful nature and unforgettable beaches. You can spend, for example, your honeymoon on an island in Italy − Capri. Also, join with other tourists to spend a pleasant time visiting the largest Italian lake − Lake Garda. Italy offers the perfect holiday for all lovers of skiing in its alpine mountains. In all these areas of Italy you will find a wide range of hotels where you can quietly relax after a great day of sightseeing.

Italian Cuisine

Pizza, pasta and ice cream (gelato) make up part of the Italian cuisine. Who has not tasted them? They are great culinary gems of Italy and are famous worldwide. But they alone do not describe the Italian gastronomy. Wine, cheese, tomatoes, hams and other Italian ingredients should be tasted if you decide to visit this country. There are plenty of wonderful courses from Italy. You can choose from, for example, risotto ai frutti di mare that comprises seafood and rice with a typical Italian flavour you will experience only in this admirable country.

Useful Tips

  • Citizens of the countries of the EU may enter Italy using only their ID card. Other citizens from outside the EU need to enter the country via passport.

  • In Italy you can safely drink tap water.

  • The electricity in the country is 220V. Most hotels have adapters for different types of plugs.

  • Tips are not mandatory but those that are happy with the service usually leave 10% of the bill.


Editing by: Catherine Parker