Destination: ITALY
Things To Know
Bella Italia
Diverse Regions
The People
Country of Contrasts
Exploring Italy
Culinary Traditions
Pastimes
The Etruscans


The medieval Campo, in the heart of Siena

© AA Photo Library
Bella Italia

Of all European countries, Italy is the one to which travelers return time and again, their love affair blossoming with each trip. Whether your visit is a chance opportunity or the dream of a lifetime, Italy will fulfill and exceed your expectations, capture your heart and senses, and send you away longing to return.

From the Alps in the north, through the prosperous and fertile heartland to the stark beauty of the deep south, Italy is blessed with some of the world's most beguiling landscapes. The northern half features Tuscany's classic olive, vine and cypress-studded rolling countryside; the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites (Dolomiti); pine-clad white cliffs and turquoise seas; and the eerie loveliness of mist-laden mornings in the great river valleys. The south is equally lovely, with an arid and fierce beauty during the long hot summers, when the intense color of the sea offsets the bleached ocher mountains.
Most of Italy is mountainous, the long spine of the Apennines (Appennini) running almost from top to bottom and stretching virtually from coast to coast. Some hilly areas are immensely fertile, as in Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy, while in other places, such as Basilicata and Calabria in the south, the combination of altitude and extreme climate make the land unproductive.
The largest area of flatland is the great plain of the Po river valley in the north, which extends down the eastern seaboard, an agriculturally rich and productive swath. Much of upland Italy is wooded, and there is a wide variety of indigenous plants.

COUNTRY
Introduction
Things To Know
Survival Guide
TimeLine
Essential Info
REGION
Tuscany & Florence
CITIES
Rome
Florence
Naples
Venice
MAPS
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Europe
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