Introduction
It has been said that Italy ruins the traveller with its beauty. Each of Italy's major cities has its own enticing character. Rome is about grandeur, history and haste. Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is a masterpiece of studied elegance.
Venice is ethereal and mysterious. Milan has powerhouse pace. The countryside is from paintings or dreams.
La Dolce Vita has never been sweeter. Europe's kinky over-the-knee boot has it all: popes, painters, polenta, paramours, poets, political puerility and potentates. Its dreamy light and sumptuous landscapes seem made for romance, and its three millennia of history, culture and cuisine seduces just about everyone.
You can visit Roman ruins, gawk at Renaissance art, stay in tiny medieval hill towns, go skiing in the Alps, explore the canals of Venice and gaze at beautiful churches. Naturally you can also indulge in the pleasures of la dolce vita: good food, good wine and improving your wardrobe. 'You may have the universe if I may have Italy.' - Giuseppe Verdi
Geography:
Italy's instantly recognisable boot shape kicks its way into the Adriatic, Ionian, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas - all of which form part of the Mediterranean Sea. The islands of Elba, Sardinia, Ischia, Capri, the Aeolians and Sicily lie offshore. Mountains feature prominently in Italy's topography, and bolster its landlocked borders all the way from Genoa in the west to Trieste in the east. Italy's backbone is formed by the Apennines, extending from Genoa right down to the soccer ball that bounces off the toe of Calabria: Sicily. The Po River Valley in the country's northeast forms the largest lowland area, and is heavily populated and industrialised as a result. Underground rambunctiousness is evident from the country's three active volcanoes - Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, Vesuvius near Naples and Etna on Sicily - and the devastation wrought by earthquakes, especially fierce in 1908 and 1980. Beauty abounds in Italy but, unfortunately, so does pollution, particularly in the big cities and along the coast.
Destination Facts
Capital: Rome
Prime Minister: Silvio Berlusconi
Government: Republic
Time zone: GMT +1 (+2 in summer)
Area: 301230
Population: 57300000
People: Italian
Languages: A Latin language related to French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian. Standard Italian and numerous dialects are spoken.
Religion: 84% Roman Catholic, 6% Jewish, Muslim and Protestant
Currency: Euro ( € )
GDP: Approx. € 1455000000000
Major industries: tourism, engineering, textiles, chemicals, food processing, motor vehicles, clothing and footwear
Major Trading Partners: EU (especially Germany, France, UK, Spain, Netherlands), USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 39
Getting There and away
Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are relatively few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result.
For travel between Italy and other parts of Europe, including the UK, buses are the cheapest but most tiring type of transport, although discount rail tickets are competitive and budget flights can be good value - sometimes better value than buses.
Getting around
Given the excellent network of relatively cheap bus and train services in Italy, both are a great, stress-free way of seeing the country - and of being part of the great Italian travelling public. Bus travel is the less expensive of the two, but as there are many different operators it is less straightforward than train travel. Your own wheels give you the most potential freedom and flexibility, although both fuel and autostrada (motorway) tolls are rather expensive. Domestic air travel can be costly and is probably worth it only if you are really short of time.
Weather
Italy's climate varies from north to south and from lowland to mountain top. Temperatures at sea-level tend to be similar around the country, with altitudes creating steep changes between summer and winter. Winters are long and severe in the Alps, with snow falling as early as mid-September. Storms develop in spring and tend to last to autumn, making summer the wettest season. The northern regions experience chilly winters, hot summers and regular even rain distribution, while conditions become milder as you head south. The sirocco, the hot and humid African wind that affects regions south of Rome, produces at least a couple of stiflingly hot weeks in summer.
It has been said that Italy ruins the traveller with its beauty. Each of Italy's major cities has its own enticing character. Rome is about grandeur, history and haste. Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is a masterpiece of studied elegance.
Venice is ethereal and mysterious. Milan has powerhouse pace. The countryside is from paintings or dreams.
Italy's instantly recognisable boot shape kicks its way into the Adriatic, Ionian, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas - all of which form part of the Mediterranean Sea. The islands of Elba, Sardinia, Ischia, Capri, the Aeolians and Sicily lie offshore. Mountains feature prominently in Italy's topography, and bolster its landlocked borders all the way from Genoa in the west to Trieste in the east. Italy's backbone is formed by the Apennines, extending from Genoa right down to the soccer ball that bounces off the toe of Calabria: Sicily. The Po River Valley in the country's northeast forms the largest lowland area, and is heavily populated and industrialised as a result. Underground rambunctiousness is evident from the country's three active volcanoes - Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, Vesuvius near Naples and Etna on Sicily - and the devastation wrought by earthquakes, especially fierce in 1908 and 1980. Beauty abounds in Italy but, unfortunately, so does pollution, particularly in the big cities and along the coast.
Capital: Rome
Prime Minister: Silvio Berlusconi
Government: Republic
Time zone: GMT +1 (+2 in summer)
Area: 301230
Population: 57300000
People: Italian
Languages: A Latin language related to French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian. Standard Italian and numerous dialects are spoken.
Religion: 84% Roman Catholic, 6% Jewish, Muslim and Protestant
Currency: Euro ( € )
GDP: Approx. € 1455000000000
Major industries: tourism, engineering, textiles, chemicals, food processing, motor vehicles, clothing and footwear
Major Trading Partners: EU (especially Germany, France, UK, Spain, Netherlands), USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 39
Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are relatively few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result.
Given the excellent network of relatively cheap bus and train services in Italy, both are a great, stress-free way of seeing the country - and of being part of the great Italian travelling public. Bus travel is the less expensive of the two, but as there are many different operators it is less straightforward than train travel. Your own wheels give you the most potential freedom and flexibility, although both fuel and autostrada (motorway) tolls are rather expensive. Domestic air travel can be costly and is probably worth it only if you are really short of time.
Italy's climate varies from north to south and from lowland to mountain top. Temperatures at sea-level tend to be similar around the country, with altitudes creating steep changes between summer and winter. Winters are long and severe in the Alps, with snow falling as early as mid-September. Storms develop in spring and tend to last to autumn, making summer the wettest season. The northern regions experience chilly winters, hot summers and regular even rain distribution, while conditions become milder as you head south. The sirocco, the hot and humid African wind that affects regions south of Rome, produces at least a couple of stiflingly hot weeks in summer.
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