Of all European countries, Italy is perhaps the hardest to classify. It is a modern, industrialized nation. It is the harbinger of style, its designers leading the way with each season's fashions. But it is also, to an equal degree, a Mediterranean country, with all that that implies. The Italians are strongly family-oriented, with an emphasis on the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church which, notwithstanding a growing scepticism among the country's youth, still dominates people's lives here to an immediately obvious degree. Italy only became a unified state in 1861 and, as a result, Italians often feel more loyalty to their region than the nation as a whole - something manifest in different cuisines, dialects, landscape and often varying standards of living. There is also, of course, the country's enormous cultural legacy - Tuscany alone has more classified historical monuments than any country in the world; there are considerable remnants of the Roman Empire all over the country, notably of course in Rome itself; and every region retains its own relics of an artistic tradition generally acknowledged to be among the world's richest.
By Car: Travelling by car in Italy is relatively painless, though cities can be hard work. The roads are good, the motorway, or Autostrada network very comprehensive, and the notorious Italian drivers rather less erratic than their reputation suggests. Most motorways however are toll-roads.
By Bus: There isn't a national bus company, although a few companies do operate services beyond their own immediate area. Bus terminals can be anywhere in larger towns, though often they're sensibly placed next door to the train station.
By Rail: Operated by Italian State Railways, there are seven types of train in Italy. At the top of the range are the ‘Pendolino’ (CiS) and "Eurostar Italia" (ES) - Intercity services. Eurocity trains connect the major Italian cities with centres such as Paris, Vienna, Hamburg and Barcelona, while Intercity trains link the major Italian centres Diretto, Espresso and Interregionale trains are the common-or-garden long-distance expresses, calling only at larger stations; and lastly there are the Regionale services, which stop at every place with a population higher than zero.
By Ferry: Italy has a well-developed ferry network. Large car ferries connect the major islands of Sardinia and Sicily with the mainland ports of Genoa, Livorno, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Fiumicino and Naples.
By Air: ATI, the domestic arm of Alitalia, operate flights all over Italy. The easiest way to get to Italy the UK is to fly with the majority of flights going to Milan and Rome, with Bologna, Pisa, Naples, Turin and Venice in the second tier; frequent onward connections are possible from these gateway cities to smaller regional airports.
The north is "discovered" Italy. The regions of Piemonte and Lombardy, in the northwest, make up the richest and most cosmopolitan part of the country, and the two main centres, Turin and Milan, are its wealthiest large cities. In the north eastern regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia lies Venice; a unique city, and every bit as beautiful as its reputation would, there's also the arc of historic towns outside the city - Verona, Padua and Vicenza, all centres of interest in their own right, although rather overshadowed by their illustrious neighbour. Central Italy represents perhaps the most commonly perceived image of the country, and Tuscany, with its classic rolling countryside and the art-packed towns of Florence, Pisa and Siena, to name only the three best-known centres, is one of its most visited regions. Lazio's real focal point is Rome, Italy's capital and the one city in the country which owes allegiance neither to the north or south, its people proudly aloof from the rest of the country's squabbles. Rome is a tremendous city quite unlike any other and in terms of historical sights outstrips everywhere else in the country by a long way. The south proper begins south of Rome, with the region of Campania, which is as far as many tourists get. Naples is a petulant, unforgettable city, the spiritual heart of the Italian south, and on hand nearby are some of Italy's finest ancient sites in Pompeii and Herculaneum, not to mention the country's most spectacular stretch of coast around Amalfi.
Main Attractions
Vatican City (Rome)
The independent city-state and seat of the Pope, head of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Vatican Museums - the largest museum complex in the world.
Venice
A unique city and every bit as beautiful as its reputation would suggest.
Leaning tower of Pisa
Famous not only because of its striking beauty but also because of its awkward geometry…
The Colosseum (Rome)
Arguably ancient Rome’s most famous building.
Italian Paintings, Sculptures, and Architecture
Contributed by giants such as Da Vinci, Raffaello, Botticelli, and Michelangelo
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