Italy

Overview

Italy ( Italian : Italia ) was once the core of the mighty Roman Empire , and the cradle of the Renaissance . Along with Greece , it is regarded as the "birthplace" of Western culture, and it is also home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, including high art and monuments.

Italy is famous for its delicious cuisine , trendy designer brands, luxury sports cars and motorcycles, diverse regional cultures and dialects, as well as for its various landscapes from the seas to the Alps and Apennines, which makes reason for its nickname Il Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country).

In the shape of a boot, the country continues to be one of the world's most influential countries. It is a member of the European Union and shares borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , and Slovenia . There are thousands of things to do in this mesmerising country, and if you want to experience what living the life feels like, you're bound to find it in Italy.

Italy, officially the Italian Republic ( Repubblica italiana ), is largely a peninsula situated on the Mediterranean Sea, bordering France , Switzerland , Austria , and Slovenia in the north. The boot-shaped country is surrounded by the Ligurian Sea, the Sardinian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, the Sicilian and Ionian Sea in the South, and Adriatic Sea in the East. Italian is the official language spoken by the majority of the population, but as you travel throughout the country, you will find there are distinct Italian dialects corresponding to the region you are in. Italy has a diverse landscape, but it is primarily mountainous, with the Alps and the Apennines. Italy has two major islands: Sardinia , off the west coast of Italy, and Sicily , just off the southern tip (the "toe") of the boot. Italy has a population of around 60 million. The capital is Rome .

Places to explore

San Marino and the Vatican City are two microstates surrounded by Italy. As they use the euro, the Italian language and have no border controls , they are easy to visit.

Experiences

One of the great things about Italy is that its long thin shape means that when you get fed up with sightseeing, you are often near a beach. In many of the more popular areas, large sections of beach are reserved as paid beaches. In the season they cover almost the entire beach with rows and rows of sunbeds (lettini) and umbrellas (ombrelloni). You have the right to pass through these establishments without being charged to get to the sea, and should be able to walk along the sea in front of them. More affordable are the beaches in Calabria : Many are free, so you will only need to pay for equipment if you choose to rent any.

South of Rome there are 20 km of free beach at the Circeo National Park. This is thanks to Dr. Mario Valeriani , who was in charge of that area after World War II and never gave permits to build anything, in spite of the very generous bribes offered by a multitude of would-be investors and millionaires, as he thought this was a natural marvel that should remain as it was intended. So today we can all enjoy this stretch of nature. You can bring your own chair and sun cover and you will only be charged a parking fee on the main road.

Culture and food

As one of the world's most renowned culinary traditions, it is unsurprising that Italian cuisine can be very good. Unfortunately, there are also many tourist traps that serve overpriced and mediocre food. Finding the right place to eat, preferably the ones patronised by Italians, is therefore important; ask locals for their recommendations if possible, or perhaps even ask your hotel or look at online review sites for recommendations. The downside is that it is rare to find English-speaking waiters in the non-tourist-trap restaurants, so be prepared to have to speak some Italian. Restaurants often charge a cover fee called Coperto (usually €1–3 per person), which is separate from tipping. Inside a restaurant, you are expected to buy both food and a drink; asking for free tap water, after still and sparkling bottled water has been offered, is not considered polite.

Planning your route

Trains in Italy are generally good value, somewhat frequent, and nowadays quite reliable. Trenitalia is the main operator throughout the country, operating both high-speed and regional services, while Italo offers competition on all major high-speed routes .

On long-distance trains there are 1st and 2nd classes. A 2nd class ticket costs about 80% the price of a 1st class ticket. On high-speed trains you can also choose between basic, standard and flexible tickets. Basic tickets are of course the cheapest. During commuter hours, on major north-south routes during the holidays, or before and after large political demonstrations, trains on the lower train types are often overcrowded.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.