Italy Guide
For its thousands of years of history, its artistic and cultural wealth, its volcanoes, its beaches and its mountains, there are plenty of reasons to discover Italy!
A country rich in history, considered the cradle of modern European civilization along with Greece and close to France , Italy is a must-see for your travel plans. A must-see destination for history and gastronomy lovers, as well as those looking for unusual activities.
With the Dolce Vita as its leitmotif, each place is profitable at all times, and in all circumstances, providing you with a wealth of activities, but also unique moments for relaxation.
A country rich in heritage
Renowned for its monuments and heritage that have spanned history, particularly the ancient remains that are well worth exploring, the country has other surprises in store for you that will help us better understand the power of the Roman Empire .
Rich in culture and a benchmark in cuisine, thousands of treasures are easily accessible by visiting it, like the Vatican , the seat of the Catholic Church . The various artistic works that make the particularities of cities like Rome , which is the capital, Venice , Florence , Milan , Turin , but also Pompeii and other localities that have marked the history of this country are to be discovered.
Renowned for its antiquities, Italy is also recognized worldwide as the cradle of the Renaissance.
Unmissable discoveries in all regions
Most importantly, during your travels, you can get off the beaten track by exploring other original, even unusual, places, and this is what will allow you to discover Italy from a different perspective. However, it’s better to be guided to avoid unnecessary risks, but that doesn’t stop you from venturing out in other ways.
In any case, one should never forget the must-sees such as the Uffizi Museum , the Trevi Fountain in Rome , the Pantheon , Cinque Terre and the Colosseum . A tourist country par excellence with all the assets, including the coastline with coasts where the climate is quite mild, like Tropea , Tirrenia , Cecina , but also islands like Sicily , Sardinia , Procida , Ischia and Capri . Added to this are the most famous beaches, including Grado and Lignano , Cattolica and Rimini which are very popular in the Adriatic Sea.
Breathtaking cultural riches
Italy is particularly rich in art and culture, dating back to prehistory . However, visitors are particularly interested in Antiquity and especially the Renaissance . Churches, cathedrals, cities that have remained unchanged for centuries, not to mention Roman buildings and theaters.
Among the must-sees are the ruins of Pompeii, Venice and its lakes, as well as St. Mark’s Square. The country also has thousands of museums scattered throughout the region, including Naples , Milan , Florence and especially the capital Rome , showcasing the works of artists who have marked history, such as Leonardo da Vinci . He also has his own museum, as well as Michelangelo’s works that adorn the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican .
In terms of gastronomy, the country is renowned worldwide for its pasta and pizza, as well as for its wines, which wine lovers find exceptional. Typical Italian dishes attract tourists, and some promoters offer gastronomic tourism to better discover Italian expertise. This is the case with traditional dishes like risotto, coffee, and ice cream. The same goes for olive oil, cheese, and fruit.
Description of Italy
Capital : Rome
Official language : Italian
Population : 60,400,000
National anthem : Il canto degli Italiano
Currency : Euro
National holiday : June 2
Bordering countries : France, Switzerland , Austria , Croatia
Why come to Italy?
This country is truly exceptional in terms of tourism, and it fully deserves your attention, whether for a vacation or a simple getaway. Its rich artistic, cultural and gastronomic heritage leaves no one indifferent, making it the second most visited country in Europe after Spain .
Its population of over 60 million people is very welcoming and helpful, which makes it a notable difference compared to other European countries. Its geographical location and climate are attractive, allowing everyone to enjoy it. Compared to France , the cost of living is quite low, and with its proximity, you can access it with all means of transport. However, you have to be careful in big cities, especially in the capital where scammers and pickpockets abound.
What to do in Italy?
As the second most visited country in Europe after Spain and before France , several unique cities and places deserve our attention and curiosity. Of course, you can’t discover everything in a weekend or a week, hence the need to know the essentials. However, this doesn’t stop you from venturing off the beaten track to discover the country differently.
Must-see cities and places
There are several cities, places, and regions that should be of interest to you during your travels in Italy . Below is a non-exhaustive list of the most visited in the country, but which will provide us with some information for our getaways:
Rome
The ancient and eternal city is undoubtedly the priority during the first visit. The capital of Italy is full of thousands of monuments and heritage that fully deserve our interests. The most famous are the Colosseum , the Vatican City , the Trevi Fountain , Piazza Navona and the Roman Forum . For those interested in the Catholic religion and architecture, one should not neglect the Basilica and St. Peter’s Square , the Sistine Chapel , the museums and libraries of the Vatican with exceptional works.
Florence
Considered a city of art, Florence is particularly rich in heritage and far surpasses other cities in Tuscany . According to statistics, the city itself preserves half of Italy’s arts, and for this reason it must deserve your attention. You can start with Brunelleschi’s Dome to discover the city from a beautiful height. The Piazza della Signoria , the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte , the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo .
Pisa
Its leaning tower has been a source of curiosity for centuries due to its unusual shape and currently, a reservation is required to visit it. However, there are other places that attract the curiosity of visitors such as the Camposanto Monumentale cemetery , the Baptistery of St. John of Pisa , the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption , as well as Borgo Stretto with its restaurants and shops for your shopping and souvenirs.
Venice
The city is renowned for its romance, with its gondolas and canals offering exceptional views for romantic getaways. St. Mark’s Square is also a great place for strolls and pigeon lovers.
Rich in color and originality, the Venice Carnival takes place in February. The curious are not indifferent on the Bridge of Sighs, but also on the Morano Islands , famous for their glassworks.
Considered the most romantic city in the world, Venice ranks second only to Rome in terms of visits . Gondola rides along the canals, restaurants under the terraces, as well as churches and museums are particularly attractive to lovers and honeymooners. This is why Venice attracts tourists and artists who create exceptional works of art there.
The Cinque Terre
These villages are quite attractive because not only are they colorful, but their clifftop locations are also quite unique. By boat, you can see them from a different perspective. To better discover them, it’s best to choose hiking. If you don’t have enough time, the ideal is to take the train that passes through these villages.
If you want to discover other gems of Italy , visit our travel guide for more information. Indeed, there are several cities still worth visiting during your vacation, including:
Lecce with its Baroque influence;
Verona to discover the epics of Romeo and Juliet;
The thousand-year-old port of Genoa with its many activities linked to the sea and navigation;
Naples and its historical riches;
islands like Capri or Sardinia ;
Turin , famous for chocolate and cinema;
the unmissable Milan , the Italian capital of fashion
How to visit Italy?
With its prime location in the Mediterranean basin, Italy is accessible by several means of transport. Since ancient times, it has been considered the political and commercial hub of Europe.
In air transport, the country has 29 international airports. The most famous are those of Rome including Ciampino and Leonardo da Vinci , then those of Milan including Orio al Serio , Linate and Alpensa .
From north to south, the country has more than 7,500 kilometers of motorways, mostly toll roads, with a few exceptions such as the A3 which connects Reggio di Calabria to Naples . The first motorway was built in 1927 connecting Varese to Naples , and the latter was renovated to accommodate more traffic.
However, roads in Italy are often overloaded, but currently the State is constantly boosting their capacity with new projects and the rehabilitation of old roads.
The railway network is 16,726 kilometers long, 1,246 of which are reserved for TAV. The two main routes are Milan-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples-Salerno and Turin-Milan-Verona-Venice . Other routes, including Naples-Bari and Milan-Genoa, are added to this.
Are you planning a visit to Italy? You can easily calculate itineraries and costs using our tool, which will help you plan your travel budget.
Climate and weather in Italy
A nuanced Mediterranean climate
The climate is Mediterranean, and the further south you go, the drier and more arid the summers become. However, there are nuances, because although summers in Calabria and Puglia are hot and dry for five months, winters are more intense in the Apennines .
In the north, you can experience a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and colder winters, not to mention abundant rainfall.
Inland, the climate is mountainous, and the temperature variation is quite considerable, hence -5 degrees in winter and 28 degrees on average in summer.
On the sides the temperature is milder and it is worth noting that Sicily is the warmest region in Italy.
The effects of climate change
It is worth noting that Italy is experiencing climate change like most European countries, which has impacts on the ecosystem, as evidenced by the palpable effects of the Alps . Furthermore, these changes have negative impacts on the metropolises, but also on Italian agriculture.
Worse still, the country has the highest level of coastal erosion, despite the considerable efforts of the population. Like all industrialized countries, the air is polluted in Italy , especially in large cities, leading to sanctions from the European Union .
When to go to Italy?
Boasting a mild, Mediterranean climate, Italy is a perfect destination for any season. The Alps are ideal for skiing and hiking enthusiasts in winter. The rest of the country is accessible in spring and especially summer, making it easy to enjoy activities and heritage sites.
Clothes to take away
The climate in Italy is divided into three parts and that is why you need to understand the climate of your destination in order to make your packing easier.
In Alpine regions with a mountain climate, you need to keep warm with wool jackets and down jackets in winter, and parkas or windbreakers in summer. Even in warm weather, the wind blows quite strongly in summer, not to mention the precipitation.
On the coast , the ideal is to wear t-shirts, shorts or Bermuda shorts with flip-flops in summer. Inland, the ideal is to wear dresses and pumps, but also jeans or sneakers for women; shirts, trousers and loafers for men.
So, to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is better to have all the information concerning the weather in the region or destination.
Good to know
Italians are friendly and romantic, but also elegant in their everyday lives. The women are very open, and the men are quite flirtatious. However, we must not be fooled by these clichés; we must understand the Italian way of life, which is La Dolce Vita.
The inhabitants of each region have their own customs and traditions, but what unites all Italians is their way of life, as they are bon vivants who love to share. However, beware of smooth talkers, as in recent years, scammers and pickpockets have been flooding crowded places like markets and train stations.
Unusual phenomena in Italy
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a rather unusual monument due to its tilt of a few degrees. Scientists believe that the instability of the ground forced the builders to tilt it, while others believe that the phenomenon is natural. In any case, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most visited monuments in Italy .
As for the Trevi Fountain , it is also a very popular tourist attraction in Rome . Why? It is supposed to grant wishes! Tourists take pictures and throw coins into it, which in one year totals around thousands of euros.
The Thinking Olive Tree is an ancient olive tree located in the Puglia region . This tree is quite curious, as its trunk perfectly resembles the head of a thinking old man, like the sculptures of philosophers in Ancient Greece .
During the transhumance, the lambs can’t keep up with the donkeys, and that’s where the donkeys or mules come in, equipped with special saddles that can hold six lambs per animal. An ingenious idea, because not only are the lambs safe, but they’re also nice and warm.
Italian culture: a reflection of a thousand-year-old history
Italian literature is renowned throughout the world thanks to poets and writers such as Boccaccio , Petrarch and especially Dante . The same goes for Machiavelli , Tasso and Ariosto , who are the most emblematic in the 16th century. It was from the 19th century onwards that Italian literature became famous with Erri de Luca , Umberto Eco , Italo Calvino , not forgetting Pinocchio’s father Carlo Collodi.
In terms of cinema, several Italian directors and actors have made their mark worldwide, such as Sergio Leone and Dario Argento. Known worldwide for their spaghetti westerns, hundreds of films were produced in the 1970s and 1980s.
As for music, the most famous are Palestrina and Gregorio Allegri in the 16th century. During the contemporary era, you can cite Andrea Bocelli , Umberto Tozzi , Zucchero , Toto Cutugno , Laura Pausini , Giorgia and especially Eros Ramazzotti .
Thanks to the interest that artists have in Italian cultures, several books and works of art relate cities, regions, but also traditions of Italy . The same goes for sports and gastronomy, which take a very important place in Europe with typical achievements.
