A creative and vibrant country, Italy is the epitome of what a holiday destination should be. Italian ideas and tastes, which are felt round the world, are set in a country of variety and natural beauty.
The ranges of its northern Alpine semicircle with its pristine lakes and popular ski resorts give way to the rich Pol Valley. On either side of the boot-shaped country, there is a sea yielding outstanding coastal resorts.
Fast Facts
Area:
301,250 sq km (117,487 sq mi)
Capital City:
Rome
Languages:
Standard Italian and numerous dialects, German, French, Slovene
Religion:
95% Roman Catholic, 5% Jewish and Protestant
Time:
GMT/UTC plus one hour (two hours ahead in summer)
Electricity:
220V, 50 Hz
Currency:
Lira (pl. lire); Symbol: Lit; Subdivision: no
Government:
Republic
The Tuscan landscape, with Florence as its capital, is spotted with hilltowns of the Middle Ages-vivid reminders of Giotto, Bellini and Donatello. Works by Da Vinci and Michaelangelo appear even in relatively minor sites along the way.
Through the Marche, the savage and mountainous Abruzzo to Latium and the "Eternal City" of Rome. Down through Campania to the sleepy area of Naples, Capri (Jewel of the Tyrrhenian Sea) to Pompeii with its well-reserved forum, baths and mosaics, plus the neighbouring villages surrounding Herculaneum where exciting archaeological finds are being unearthed even today. The rugged terrain leads down the toe towards Sicily, where Mount Etna grumbles in perpetual moodiness. Italy - with its reverberating greats both past and present, as well as its astonishing monuments, is both timely and timeless.
