You can have the universe, if I can
have Italy." - Giuseppe Verdi
This is the country with unmatchable combination of history, art,
architecture, gastronomy, fashion and natural beauty. This splendid nation
has produced geniuses like Caesar, Michelangelo, Galileo, Garibaldi, Fellini
and Versace.
This country can be visited anytime of the year to experience the marvels
of this land.
Italian summers offer infinite miles of beaches from Sardinia to Portofino
which has now become international playgrounds.
During autumn, Italy blooms with grapes and olives which are magically
converted into wine and olive oil, using ancient techniques and Italian
know-how. In winters the snow covered mountains gather people from all
across the globe. In spring the rites of Holy Week are practiced in small
villages and big cities all over the country. And its a great time to
experience the natural beauty of the Italian countryside in Tuscany and
Umbria. So come to Italy to carry unforgettable memories with you!
Fact
File
Official name : Italian Republic
Government : Republic
Nationality : Italian
Capital city : Rome
Ethnic groups : Italian
Location : Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Continent : Europe
Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $ =
0.678141 GBP(subject to change)
Population : 57.99 million
Languages : French, German, Serbian, Croatian, Italian
Religion : 84% Roman Catholic, 6% Jewish, Muslim and Protestant
Area : 301230 sq km
Famous for : Wines, Renaissance artists, pizzas, pastas and many
more Italian cuisine.
Major cities : Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice
Clothing : Summer : light cotton,
Winters
: heavy woolens.
Major events : The pre-Easter Carnivale; Holy Week Easter
processions, the Festas di San Nicola in Bari and San Gennaro in Naples, the
Festival of Snakes in Abruzzo (May) and the Festa of Sant'Antonio in Padua
(June), the Race of the Candles and Palio of the Crossbow in Gubbio (May),
the Sardinian Cavalcade (May), the Regata of the Four Ancient Maritime
Republics (which rotates between Pisa, Venice, Amalfi and Genoa, and is held
in June), Il Palio in Siena (July & August) and Venice's Historic
Regatta (September).
Things to Buy : Antiques, jewelery, household items, clothes.
Things to do : shopping, siteseeing, visiting art galeries ans
museums.
Cuisine : Northern Emilia-Romagna has produced the best-known dishes
- spaghetti bolognese, lasagne and tortellini, prosciutto and mortadella.
Spectacular vegetable and pasta ,exotic meats. Desserts - cassata, cannoli,
zabaglione, granita and marzipan - Sardinia is famous for its spit-roasted
piglet. Beverages : Coffee, beer and wine
Visa Permit
EU
citizens require only a passport or ID card to stay or work in Italy for as
long as they like. Citizens other countries, including the US, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Switzerland and Japan, do not need a visa if
entering as tourists for up to three months.
Culture
Unparalleled in its diversity, Italy offers delights ranging from fine
wines and exceptional cuisine to high art and great historical sites.
Italian culture encompasses great literature, splendid architecture and
great music. The country has produced writers from Virgil, Ovid, Horace,
Livy and Cicero to Dante. The literally scholars like Petrarch, Boccaccio,
Ficino, Mirandola and Vasari all belong to the Italian soil. Dante, Petrarch
and Boccaccio wrote chiefly in the Florentine dialect.
Art is a big part of Italian culture, and not only visible in its museums.
Colorful streets are lined with buildings of every shape, size, and color -
often charactorized by huge arches and columns. The country has a great
architechtural marvels like the Etruscan tombs, Greek temples, cat-infested
Roman ruins, Moorish architecture and statue-filled baroque fountains.
Besides these there are Roman sculptures, Byzantine mosaics, beatific
Madonnas from Giotto to Titian, gargantuan baroque tombs and trompe l'oeil
ceilings steal all the appreciation. Italy has not been left behind in the
field of music either as Italians invented both the piano and our system of
musical notation, as well as produced Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Verdi,
Puccini, Bellini and Rossini.
When to go
Its best to go in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November).It is
best to avoid August, as this is the time when most Italians take their
vacations, and as a result many shops and businesses are closed.
Climate
Italy has favourable climatic conditions, due to the warm waters of the
Mediterranean sea but in mountainous areas particularly around the Alps in
the north there are long winters.
There are three distinct geographical regions with distinct climates. In
the north, cold Alpine winters are followed by warm, wet summers, except in
the Po Valley, where arid summers contrast with freezing, damp winters. Land
close to the Apennines have snowfall during the winter months. Other areas
that are protected by hills and mountains, such as Liguria in the north
west, have a mild climate all year round.
Most of the rest of Italy has a pleasant climate with long, hot summers and
mild winters - Generally, the hottest month is July (where temperatures can
reach 30°C/86°F); the coldest month is January; the wettest month
is November, with an average rainfall of 129mm; while the driest month is
July, with an average rainfall of 15mm.
Getting There
By
Air : There are international airports in all the major cities which are
well connectd to the city center.
By Train : Intercontinental trains are there to provide a comfotable
journey from and to other european countries.
By Raod : For travel between Italy and other parts of Europe,
including the UK, buses are the cheapest but most tiring type of transport.
By Sea : Ferries service Sicily from Naples, while Sardinia can be
reached from Genoa, Livorno and Naples. Ferries connect the country with
Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, Croatia and Spain.
Getting around
By Trains : The Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) is the state railway.
There are also a few private railway companies. The fastest trains (Rapido)
operate on the networks between the major cities, while the regional trains
are fairly slow.
By Road : Excellent coach services run between cities and towns and
there are also good local bus services. Charter bus tours are available in
every major tourist area.
By Air : Domestic airlines provide good service within the country.
Major Attractions in Italy
Rome, the capital city : The capital city of Italy, Rome has a
history of 2,700 years and is one of the most important city in the western
world. This capital of the expansive Roman Empire, once governed by the
famous Julius Caesar was the center for the rise of Christianity in the
west. The Vatican City within Rome is the seat of the Roman catholic church
which makes Rome influential in the world even today. Besides the Vatican
City, Rome has a large number of beautiful ancient Roman monuments, which
includes the Forum, (the place from where Julius Caesar once ruled ancient
Rome), the Colosseum and the ruins of the Circus Maximus.
In addition, various ancient Roman monuments, artefacts with some famous
paintings and sculptures by artists of the Renaissance period such as
Raphael, Bottecelli, Belini, Pinturicchio, symbolizes the glorious past of
this great civilisation.
Amalfi Coast : Covering 50km (31mi) along a promontory from Sorrento
to lie Europe’s most enchanting coastlines. The coastlines are lined
with curving roads and the exotic blue waters present one of the most
alluring sceneries.
Cinque Terre : It has five splendid villages which pose the most
scenic mountainous region that outlines the coastal Liguria in the northwest
of the country. The towns are linked by a lovely pathway that winds along
the terraced hillside through olive groves and vineyards, and are car free.
Riomaggiore overlooks a tiny cove, and fishing boats are a major source of
attraction, lying along the shore in the small square. Lovers' Lane links
the village with Manarola, the most picturesque of the five villages.
Corniglia is perched high above the water and is reached by tortuous steps.
Vernazza is known for its sea views, with a promenade and a piazza
overlooking the water. Finally, Monterosso dominates the beach and presents
huge statues carved into the rocks that surmount it.
Paestum : Just south of Salerno, Paestum houses the country's
best-preserved relics of the Magna Graecia colonies. This beautiful place
has three Doric temples and it includes the temples of Ceres and Neptune, a
forum, a basilica and city walls. The museum houses a collection of friezes
which are one of the best collections of ancient architecture in the world.
Other Attractions :
Sardinia
Tremiti Islands
