Italy is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, in Southern Europe; and also considered
part of Western Europe.
Rome is the capital, and largest city, which covers a total area of 301,230 kilometers
square and shares the borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, the enclaved
microstates of Vatican City, and San Marino.
It is a country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and, several islands
surrounding it, whose territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical region.
The name Italy is an ancient name for the country, and people of Southern Italy.
Originally it was spelled Vitalia, probably from the same root as the Latin vitulus meaning
"Land of Cattle".
Italy is famous for its tourism, its art cities, and unique scenery.
Italy is also known for its language, opera, fashion, and its luxury brands.
Pizza was first invented in Naples, Italy as a fast, affordable, tasty meal for working-class
Neapolitans on the go.
While we all know and love these slices of today, pizza.
Italy's highest scores were for its food, history, heritage, art, and culture, which
all contributed to making it the top country that respondents said they'd like to visit
for a holiday – even if traveling in Italy wasn't considered to offer great value for
money, didn't gain mass appeal until the 1940s, when immigrating Italians brought their classic
slices to the United States.
Italy is indeed a safe country to visit.
The nation's violent crime rates are low these days, and global safety rankings consistently
place Italy higher.
Italy is one of the cheapest countries to live in.
In fact, it's the 4th cheapest country in Western Europe.
Italy is considered one of the birthplaces of Western civilization, and a cultural superpower.
Italian culture is the culture of the Italians, a Romance ethnic group, and is incredibly
diverse spanning the entirety of the Italian peninsula, and the islands of Sardinia, and
Sicily.
Italy has been the starting point of phenomena of international impact such as the Roman
Republic, Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church, the Maritime republics, Romanesque
art, Scholasticism, the Renaissance, the Age of Discovery, Mannerism, the Scientific Revolution,
the Baroque, Neoclassicism, the Risorgimento, Fascism, and European integration.
Italy was home to many well-known, and influential civilizations, including Italic peoples such
as the Etruscans, the Samnites and the Romans, while also hosting colonies from important
foreign civilizations like the Phoenicians and the Greeks.
Etruscan and Samnite cultures flourished in Italy before the emergence of the Roman Republic,
which conquered and incorporated them.
Phoenicians and Greeks established settlements in Italy beginning several centuries before
the birth of Christ, and the Greek settlements, in particular, developed into thriving classical
civilizations, for example, the cities of Magna Graecia.
For many centuries Italy experienced migrations and invasions it was divided into numerous
independent states until 1861 when it became a nation-state.
Due to this comparatively late unification, and the historical autonomy of the regions
that comprise the Italian peninsula, many traditions, and customs that are now recognized
as distinctly Italian can be identified by their regions of origin.
Despite the political and social isolation of these regions, Italy's contributions to
the cultural and historical heritage of Europe and the world remain immense.
The famous elements of Italian culture are its art, music, cinema, style, and iconic
food.
Italy was the birthplace of opera, and for generations, the language of opera was Italian,
irrespective of the nationality of the composer.
Italy had a huge presence in the development of Classical music, birthing Baroque music,
many forms of musical composition such as the Symphony, the Sonata, and the Concerto,
as well as many important composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Gioachino
Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi, and Giacomo Puccini.
Italy is known for its lively folk dances.
The most worldwide recognized folk dance is the Tarantella, a dance originating in the
Province of Taranto, Apulia, as well as its many variations across Italy such as the Calabrian
Tarantella, the Pizzica, and the Tammurriata.
Before being exported to France, the famous Ballet dance genre also originated in Italy.
Popular tastes in drama in Italy have long favored comedy; the improvisational style
known as the Commedia dell'arte began in Italy in the mid-16th century, and is still performed
today.
Italian cinema is revered throughout the world.
The art film has its origins in Italy.
Spaghetti Westerns emerged with the release of Sergio Leone's, A Fistful of Dollars, a
genre consisting of films mostly produced, and directed by Italians.
Both the internal and external faces of Western culture were born on the Italian peninsula,
whether one looks at the history of the Christian faith, civil institutions, philosophy, law,
art, science, or social customs, and culture.
The country boasts several world-famous cities.
Rome was the ancient capital of the Roman Empire, the seat of the Pope of the Catholic
Church, the capital of reunified Italy, and the artistic, cultural, and cinematographic
center of world relevance.
Florence was the heart of the Renaissance, a period of great achievements in the arts
at the end of the Middle Ages.
Other important cities include Turin, which used to be the capital of Italy, and is now
one of the world's great centers of automobile engineering.
Milan is the industrial and financial capital of Italy, and one of the world's fashion capitals.
Venice, the former capital of a major financial and maritime power from the Middle Ages to
the early modern period, with its intricate canal system attracts tourists from all over
the world, especially during the Venetian Carnival and the Biennale.
Naples, with the largest historic city center in Europe, and the oldest continuously active
public opera house in the world.
Bologna is the main transport hub of the country, as well as the home of the oldest university
in the world, and of worldwide famous cuisine.
Italy is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (58) to date, and according
to one estimate, the country is home to half the world's great art treasures.
Overall, the nation has an estimated 100,000 monuments of any sort (churches, cathedrals,
archaeological sites, houses, and statues).
During its history, the nation has given birth to an enormous number of notable people who
have made major contributions to the world.
The Italian fashion industry is one of the country's most important manufacturing sectors.
The majority of the older Italian couturiers are based in Rome.
However, Milan is seen as the fashion capital of Italy because many well-known designers
are based there and it is the venue for the Italian designer collections.
Many of Italy's top fashion designers have boutiques that can be found around the world.
Among the best-known and most exclusive names are Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino Garavani,
Benetton, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Moschino, and Prada.
Accessory, and jewelry labels, such as Bulgari and Luxottica are also internationally acclaimed,
and Luxottica is the world's largest eyewear company.
Currently, Milan and Rome, annually compete with other major international centers, such
as Paris, New York, London, and Tokyo.
Italy is also prominent in the field of design, notably interior design, architectural design,
industrial design, and urban design.
The country has produced some well-known furniture designers, such as Gio Ponti and Ettore Sottsass,
and Italian phrases such as Bel Disegno and Linea Italiana have entered the vocabulary
of furniture design.
Examples of classic pieces of Italian white goods and pieces of furniture include Zanussi's
washing machines and fridges, the "New Tone" sofas by Atrium, and the post-modern bookcase
by Ettore Sottsass, inspired by Bob Dylan's song "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis
Blues Again".
Today, Milan and Turin are the nation's leaders in architectural design and industrial design.
The city of Milan hosts the FieraMilano, Europe's biggest design fair.
Milan also hosts major design and architecture-related events and venues, such as the Fuori Salone
and the Salone del Mobile, and has been home to the designers Bruno Munari, Lucio Fontana,
and Enrico Castellani, and Piero Manzoni.
Architectural ruins from antiquity throughout Italy testify to the greatness of culture's
past.
The history of architecture in Italy is one that begins with the ancient styles of the
Etruscans, and Greeks, progressing to classical Roman, then to the revival of the classical
Roman era during the Renaissance, and evolving into the Baroque era.
During the period of the Italian Renaissance, it had been customary for students of architecture
to travel to Rome to study the ancient ruins, and buildings as an essential part of their
education.
Old St. Peter's Church (begun about A.D. 330) was probably the first significant early Christian
basilica, a style of church architecture that came to dominate the early Middle Ages.
Old St. Peter's stood on the site of the present St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
The first significant buildings in the medieval Romanesque style were churches built in Italy
during the 800s.
Several outstanding examples of the Byzantine architectural style of the Middle East were
also built in Italy.
The most famous Byzantine structure is the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice.
The greatest flowering of Italian architecture took place during the Renaissance.
Filippo Brunelleschi made great contributions to architectural design with his dome for
the Cathedral of Florence.
Leon Battista Alberti was another early Renaissance architect whose theories and designs had an
enormous influence on later architects.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Italian Renaissance architecture was St. Peter's Basilica,
originally designed by Donato Bramante in the early 16th century.
Andrea Palladio influenced architects throughout western Europe with the villas and palaces
he designed in the middle and late 16th centuries.
The Baroque period produced several outstanding Italian architects in the 17th century especially
known for their churches.
The most important architects included Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini.
Numerous modern Italian architects, such as Renzo Piano, are famous worldwide.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Italy was affected by the Neoclassical architectural
movement.
Everything from villas, palaces, gardens, interiors, and art began to be based on Roman
and Greek themes, and buildings were also widely themed on the Villa Capra "La Rotonda",
the masterpiece by Andrea Palladio.
Italian modern and contemporary architecture refers to architecture in Italy during 20th,
and 21st centuries.
During the Fascist period the so-called "Novecento movement" flourished, with figures such as
Gio Ponti, Peter Aschieri, and Giovanni Muzio.
This movement was based on the rediscovery of imperial Rome.
Marcello Piacentini, who was responsible for the urban transformations of several cities
in Italy, and remembered for the disputed Via Della Conciliazione in Rome, devised a
form of "simplified Neoclassicism".
The fascist architecture was followed by the Neoliberty style, and Brutalist architecture.
The art of sculpture in the Italian peninsula has its roots in ancient times.
In the archaic period, when Etruscan cities dominated central Italy and the adjacent sea,
Etruscan sculpture flourished.
The name of an individual artist, Vulca, who worked at Veii, has been identified.
He has left a terracotta Apollo, and other figures, and can perhaps claim the distinction
of being the most ancient master in the long history of Italian art.
Significant development of this art occurred between the 6th century BC, and 5th century
AD during the growth of the Roman Empire.
The earliest Roman sculpture was influenced by the Etruscans to the north of Rome, and
by Greek colonists to the south.
During the Empire period, the pure realism of the Republican period portrait busts was
joined to Greek idealism.
The result, evident in Augustus of Primaporta, was often a curious juxtaposition of individualized
heads with idealized, anatomically perfect bodies in Classical poses.
During the Middle Ages, the large sculpture was largely religious.
Carolingian artists in northern Italy created sculptures for covers of Bibles, as decoration
for parts of church altars, and for crucifixes, and giant candlesticks placed on altars.
In the late 13th century, Nicola Pisano, and his son Giovanni began the revolutionary changes
that led up to the Renaissance in Italian sculpture, drawing influences from Roman sarcophagi
and other remains.
Both are noted for their reliefs, and ornamentation on pulpits.
The Massacre of the Innocents by Giovanni Pisano is an example.
The greatest sculptor of the early Renaissance was Donatello.
In 1430, he produced a bronze statue of David, which reestablished the classical idea of
beauty in the naked human body.
Conceived fully in the round, and independent of any architectural surroundings, it was
the first major work of Renaissance sculpture.
Among the other brilliant sculptors of the 15th century were Jacopo della Quercia, Michelozzo,
Bernardo ,and Antonio Rossellino, Giambologna, and Agostino di Duccio.
Italy is one of the world's greatest centers of architecture, art, and books.
Among its many libraries, the most important area in the national library system, contains
two central libraries, in Florence (5.3 million volumes) and Rome (5 million), and four regional
libraries, in Naples (1.8 million volumes), Milan (1 million), Turin (973,000) and Venice
(917,000).
The existence of two national central libraries, while most nations have one, came about throughout
the history of the country, as Rome was once part of the Papal States, and Florence was
one of the first capitals of the unified Kingdom of Italy.
While both libraries are designated as copyright libraries, Florence now serves as the site
designated for conservation and cataloging of Italian publications, and the site in Rome
catalogs foreign publications acquired by the state libraries.
All large Italian cities have public libraries.
Italy, a world center of culture, history, and art, has more than 3,000 museums.
The most visited amusement park in Italy is Gardaland, with 3 million visitors per year.
Located in Castelnuovo del Garda, is adjacent to Lake Garda.
The entire complex covers an area of 445,000 meters square, while the theme park alone
measures 200,000 meters squire Gardaland is the eighth in Europe in the number of amusement
park visitors.
In June 2005 Gardaland ranked fifth in the Forbes ranking of the top ten best amusement
parks in the world.
The second most visited Italian amusement park is Mirabilandia, with 2 million annual
visitors (2019).
Located in Savio, a frazione of Ravenna, with a total area of 850,000 meters squire, it
is the biggest amusement park in Italy.
Sport in Italy has a long tradition.
In several sports, both individual, and team, Italy has good representation and many successes.
Football is the most popular sport in Italy.
Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and is (along with Germany) currently the second
most successful football team in World Cup history, after Brazil, having won four FIFA
World Cup championships.
Basketball, volleyball, and cycling are the next most popular/played sports, with Italy
having a rich tradition in all three.
Italy also has strong traditions in swimming, water polo, rugby union, tennis, athletics,
fencing, and Formula One.
Tourism linked to sporting events is capable of attracting fans of various disciplines
who, in several cases, then decide to stay to visit the country.
In addition to events of a global nature, capable of attracting a large number of visitors
for a longer period of time (for example the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics or the 1990 FIFA
World Cup), minor events also contribute to the development of this factor of tourism,
such as individual international matches of various sports (for example the home matches
of Italy during the Six Nations Championship or the matches of clubs of various sports
involved in continental competitions) or tournaments of more local importance.
Italian cuisine is one of the best-known, and most appreciated gastronomies worldwide.
Italian cuisine includes deeply rooted traditions common to the whole country, as well as all
the regional gastronomies, different from each other, especially between the north,
and the south of Italy, which are in continuous exchange.
Many dishes that were once regional have proliferated with variations throughout the country.
Italian cuisine offers an abundance of tastes, and is one of the most popular,r and copied
around the world.
Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, as well as the country with the widest variety
of indigenous grapevine varieties in the world.
One of the main characteristics of Italian cuisine is its simplicity, with many dishes
made up of few ingredients, and therefore Italian cooks often rely on the quality of
the ingredients, rather than the complexity of preparation.
The most popular dishes and recipes, over the centuries, have often been created by
ordinary people more so than by chefs, which is why many Italian recipes are suitable for
home and daily cooking, respecting regional specificities, privileging only raw materials,
and ingredients from the region of origin of the dish and preserving its seasonality.
Italian meal structure is typical of the European Mediterranean region, and differs from North,
Central, and Eastern European meal structure, though it still often consists of breakfast,
lunch, and supper.
However, much less emphasis is placed on breakfast, and breakfast itself is often skipped or involves
lighter meal portions than are seen in non-Mediterranean Western countries.
Late-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, called Merenda, are also often included in this meal
structure.
The Mediterranean diet forms the basis of Italian cuisine, rich in pasta, fish, fruits,
and vegetables.
Cheese, cold cuts, and wine are central to Italian cuisine, and along with pizza and
coffee (especially espresso) form part of Italian gastronomic culture.
Desserts have a long tradition of merging local flavors such as citrus fruits, pistachio,
and almonds with sweet cheeses like mascarpone and ricotta or exotic tastes such as cocoa,
vanilla, and cinnamon.
Gelato and cassata are among the most famous examples of Italian desserts, cakes, and patisserie.
Italian cuisine relies heavily on traditional products; the country has a large number of
traditional specialties protected under EU law.
Protected designation of origin and Protected Geographical Indications have also been established
in olive growing.
The cuisine is therefore often a reason for tourism in the peninsula, perhaps combined
with one or more reasons previously described.
There are countless food festivals and fairs spread throughout the area, from small agricultural
centers to large metropolises.
The hospitality sector is slowly updating by including cultural food and wine elements
in its offer to tourists, both in traditional hotels and in specially created structures
such as agritourism.