Italy

Introduction

Italy, the fifth most visited nation worldwide, has had a significant impact on the world. The Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the lovely city of Venice particularly known for the boat tours, and other attractions are well-known. Besides Italy is also known for its inventions such as the invention of Pizza which has become popular around the world, batteries, typewriters, etc. It is one of the youngest countries in the western part of Europe.

Location and Population: – Italy is located in the southern part of Central Europe and it shares borders with France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Vatican city, and San Marino. The geographical area of Italy is 3,01,340 km2 .
According to the census conducted in the year 2021, the population of Italy is around 59 million.

Italy’s History: – The history of Italy has gone through ups and downs. They have been ruled by various ancient tribes, foreign rulers, annexed certain countries in Europe and it has even lost some parts of Europe. They had also signed treaties such as the Treaty of London but they were not given the territories that were promised to them in the treaty. Besides during the early days they had also gone through Renaissance during the 15th and 16th centuries. Besides, Italian had also gone through economic crisis and turmoils that led to Fascism in Italy and dictators like Benito Mussolini rose to power and it tried to expand Italy but once Italy joined World War II, they were unable to expand their territories but it led to foreign countries ruling like Germany, etc. Besides this Mussolini was killed after which Germany surrendered and ended World War II. Italy became independent in 1946 and post that the economy became better. They are the founding members of NATO, European Union (EU) and the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

Facts you should know about Italy: – There are various facts that the tourists should know before going to Italy. They are as follows: –

Italy is home to the largest number of UNESCO world heritage sites as it has more than 50 world heritage sites for the tourists to visit over there.

You might be surprised to learn that the Italian police drive one of the world’s fastest cars, the Lamborghini Huracan.

Italy is the largest producer of wine as it produces around 54,800 hectolitres of wine a year.

The last king of Italy King Umberto II had ruled in Italy only for 30 days from May to June and thus he is referred to as “May King” in Italy.

There are three colours in the flag of Italy which are Green, White and red. The Italian is inspired by the French flag. The colours of the Italian represent hope, faith and charity.

13 of William Shakespeare’s 37 plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Othello, among others, are set in Italy.

Culture and Food: – The Italians are very caring and they have utmost respect for their elders. They are proud of their culture and they love to have more coffee. Besides, the people in Italy are extroverts as they love to talk more with people around them and most importantly their craze for sports as football is the most popular sport in Italy and they are backing the Italian football team such as the Euros tournament held in the year 2020 was won by the Italian football team.
The Italian cuisine is influenced from Mediterranean cuisine and it is different from other cuisines. It includes fruits, vegetables, pasta, etc. The Italians eat salad as their desert but ice cream is still their favourite dessert. Some of the popular dishes from the Italian cuisine are Caprese salad with Pesto sauce, Margherita Pizza, Mushroom Risotto, Ravioli, Tiramisu, Lasagna, etc..

Things to explore in Italy: – There are various things for the tourists to explore in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities which are as follows: –

Regatta Festival: – The regatta festival is one of the popular festivals that happens in Venice during the month of September. There is a boat race that happens during the festival which is in the traditional Gondolas of the locals and it happens at the lagoons and canals of the city.

Burst of the Chariot: – It is a 250 year old tradition that takes place in Florence during Easter. The tourists will get to see the chariot on fire once the mass is completed at the Cathedral. Once the mass is complete the Priest would fire a Holy rocket that would hit the chariot and then the fireworks would happen at the chariot which is just amazing to view.

Rafting: – The tourists can do rafting at various rivers in Italy with proper safety. The tourists can experience the speed of the river and the bumps along the river that makes rafting more exciting for the tourists. Some of the rivers in Italy for rafting are Aventio river, River corno, Tanagro river, etc.

Mountain biking: – The tourists can explore the alps and nature through mountain biking as they can rent a bicycle for mountain biking in Italy. Some of the popular places in Italy for mountain biking are Tre Cime Di Laverdo, Volastra, Levanto, Val ferret, etc.

Paragliding: – The tourists can do paragliding and get to see some breathtaking views of Italy from the sky with proper safety. Some of the places in Italy to go for paragliding are Col Rodella, Sesto Dolomites, Paganella, etc.

Things to buy in Italy: – There are various things for the tourists to buy in Italy in order to complete their shopping list. Some of them are wine, Italian shoes, leather bags, Murano glasses, Artisan Chocolates, olive oil, truffle oil, liquors, pottery, cheese, moka pot, sports jerseys, cured meat, Borsalino hats, sandals, espresso cups, etc.

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Italy is during the spring season between March to May and the autumn season between September to November as the temperatures are bearable and the tourists can smoothly explore as compared to the hot summer season and the cold winters in Italy.

Places to visit in Italy

Rome: – The city which is the capital of Italy and it is also known as Eternal city is Rome. The tourists can visit the Colosseum which has become a big tourist attraction spot in Italy. It is located in the heart of Rome at Piazza Del Celesco. It is known for its architecture and it was built during the Roman empire. It was earlier used for entertainment such as gladiator fights, mocking of wars, contests between a man and animal, etc. The tourists can also explore the trevi fountain which is the largest fountain in the city. It was made by various artists such as Nicola Salvi, Giuseppe Pannini , etc. Besides, the tourists throw coins in the fountain as it is a sign of good luck and the tourists would get a chance to visit Rome again in the future to make a wish. Last but not the least is the Pantheon which is an historic preserved monument that has the largest dome in the world. The Pantheon earlier used to be a pagan temple of various Roman gods which was later turned into a church. Besides, it also contains the tomb of Raphael, a great Renaissance artist.

Milan: – The city which is located in the northern part of Italy and it is also known as the fashion capital of the world is Milan. The tourists can visit the Milan Cathedral which is also known as Duomo di Milano is a Church in the city of Milan that is known for its architecture and it is the church that has the most number of statues in the world. The next place in Milan is a treat for all sports lovers especially the football lovers as the tourists can explore the largest stadium in Italy that is the San Siro Stadium. The stadium has a capacity of around 80,000 people and it is home ground for two football teams that are Inter Milan and AC Milan. The tourists can visit the Milan Opera house named Teatro Alla Scala. It can accommodate around 1,800 people and it is known for various popular performances over the past years. Some of them are L’Europa riconosciuta by Antonio Salieri, Return of the Verdi, etc.

Venice: – The city which is located in the northeastern part of Italy and it is also known as the City of Canals is Venice. It is a city which has to be travelled on a boat or by foot. The tourists can visit the Grand Canal which is a popular romantic spot in Venice as the tourists can take Gondola rides at the canal which is in a zig zag shape and the tourists should not miss the sunset at the canal as it just gives a beautiful view. Besides the Gondolas can also go below the bridge and it is very spine chilling for the tourists such as the Rialto bridge. The tourists can explore the Piazza San Marco which is also known as St Mark’s square that is known for various popular buildings in the square such as the Dodge Palace, St Mark’s Basilica, etc. Napoleon has described this square as the drawing room of Europe. There is one more attraction point you can visit in Venice and it is in Piazza San Marco that is the Doge Palace. The palace used to be the residence of the Doge of Venice which was later converted into a museum. The palace is known for its architecture.

Florence: – The city which is located in the Central part of Italy and it is the starting point of Renaissance in Italy is Florence. It is also known as the Jewel of Renaissance. The tourists can visit the Tuscan countryside vineyard at the Renaissance Villa. The tourists can see the greenery which is the olive groves and the vineyard. The tourists can taste the olive oil and delicious Tuscan wines such as Psycho, Peconio, Spaziolibero Rosè, etc. The tourists can explore the Leonardo Da Vinci museum wherein there are various exhibits of the work done by Leonardo Da Vinci and the museum is divided into five sections that are mechanisms, earth, water, fire and air. Some of the exhibits in the museum are flywheel, oil press, paragliding, bombard, anemometer, etc. Finally, Giotto’s bell tower which is also known as the bell tower for the Cathedral of Florence. The tower is known for its fabulous architecture and the tourists can go to the top of the tower by climbing 414 steps without any elevator, it would give an outstanding view of the city. The tower is around 85 metres high and it has twelve bells.

How to reach Italy from India: – The tourists can reach Italy from India through flight and there are various airlines that fly to Italy such as Air India, Lufthansa, Emirates, Indigo, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, etc. Besides, the tourists can also reach through cruise as there are cruise services available from Mumbai to Italy and it takes more than 20 days to reach Italy. It is not advisable to go by road as it takes a long time to reach Italy. The tourists can reach Italy by train only if they take the train from a European country near Italy such as Switzerland.

Popular packages: – These are a list of popular packages to travel to Italy which also includes packages to travel to other countries including Italy. They are as follows: –

Name of the Package	Duration of the Package	Price of the Package (RS)	Countries
Grand Europe	15 nights / 16 days	2,98,990	United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Vatican City
European Discovery	14 nights / 15 days	2,72,990	United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Vatican City
Glimpses of Europe	9 nights / 10 days	2,17,990	Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France
New Amazing Europe Tour	9 nights / 10 days	1,82,990	Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France

  

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the currency of Italy?
Ans: The currency of Italy is Euros.

What is the language spoken in Italy?
Ans: The language spoken in Italy is Italian but they can also speak in English but not as fluently as one would expect it.

What are the eateries that serve Indian food in Italy?
Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food in Italy are Indo Ceylon, the Dhaba, Jaipur – Ristorante Indiano, Royal India, Buddha Soul Restó

Which places are popular for shopping in Italy?
Ans: There are various places to shop in Italy which are Via Del Corso, Via Monte Napoleone, Mercerie, Via Giovan Battista Zannoni, etc.

Which are the popular night clubs in Italy?
Ans: Some of the popular nightclubs in Italy are Bobino Milano, Sharivari, Moyo bar, Venice Jazz Club, etc.