Italy is a long peninsula shaped like a boot, surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and on the east by the Adriatic. It is bounded by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia to the north. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula's backbone; the Alps form its northern boundary. The largest of its many northern lakes is Garda (143 sq mi; 370 sq km); the Po, its principal river, flows from the Alps on Italy's western border and crosses the Lombard plain to the Adriatic Sea.
Climate and Weather
Italy has a largely temperate climate with regional variations. In summer the Northern parts of Italy are warm with occasional rainfall, the central region is somewhat stifled by humidity and the south scorches under the dry heat. In winter, conditions in Milan, Turin and Venice are dominated by cold, damp and fog and Tuscany's winter temperatures approach freezing, while temperatures in the south of the country are more favorable averaging 50-60°F (10-20°C).
Population
In October of 2007, Italy officially reached more than 59.5 million[22] persons. Italy currently has the fourth largest population in the European Union, and the 23rd largest population in the world.
Transportation
Communication by trains, busses, boats and aeroplanes have made transport in Italy easier. Italy is a country which is well connected by roads, air and water. It is estimated that trains run on the standard gauge of 18,071 km and 1.435 on meter gauge. Excellent rail tracks have been built on Sardinia and Silicy.Most of the trains run on electric.
Venice in Italy is well-known for its canals .The city can be traveled totally by boat. Canals are jus used as roads. Boats and gondolas are the prominent features of Venice. Malpensa International Airport in Italy is a wonderful airport .It is situated in Milan. Previously this airport offered flights to U.S, South Africa and some Asian countries. Recently flights have bee introduced Europe, Middle east and North Africa.
Rome Leonardo da Vinci Airport has set a record of serving more than 30 million passengers. All the airports are tiled with roadways.
Excellent transport facilities in Italy have made it accessible from any part of the world.
Top Attractions
1. Galleria Regionale.
2. Capitoline Hill.
3. Roman Forum (Foro Romano).
4. The Colosseum.
5. Copacabana.
6. Pantheon.
7. The Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna.
8. Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi).
9. St Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro).
10. The Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums.
Best Travel Time
Like most of Western Europe, early spring and autumn are the best times to visit and travel around Italy.
Northern Italy (Milan, Bologna, Verona and Venice) looks totally stunning in spring, its winters are mild and occasionally very foggy, and its hot, dry and humid summers are tempered by sea breezes. In winter in Venice (in Northern Italy) a mist often descends and hovers over the city creating an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
Southern Italy has warm, dry weather with far fewer crowds in September. It has a typical Mediterranean climate, which is almost always sunnier than northern Italy. July and August can be unpleasantly hot and humid. But there is always relief to be found in the mountains, in the coastal areas and in the forests.
The best months to visit the cities of Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Verona, Bologna, Naples and the Amalfi Coast (in Southern Italy) are November or March. The most crowded periods are Easter, May and June, October and Christmas. July and August have become less crowded in recent years, but the summer can be fun but also uncomfortably hot.
In the Apennines and Alps, winters are long and cold, while summers are short and cool. The ski seasoncan last from December to April.
Summer is Italy's peak season when the country is at its busiest. Many shops and restaurants close in late August when their owners go on holiday. Easter, Christmas, and other religious holidays are busy times for Italy and the larger cities and towns tend to put up their prices during these occasions.
For best value, late spring and early autumn are the optimum times to visit Italy, with the weather at its mildest and the crowds at a minimum.
Food and Drink
National specialties: Rome:
• Gnocchi alla romana (semolina dumplings). Piemonte:
• Bagna caoda (an anchovy dip, served with vegetables). Lombardy:
• Panettone (Christmas cake with sultanas and candied fruit). Liguria:
• Pesto (sauce of basil, pine nuts and pecorino cheese ). Emilia-Romagna:
• Parmigiano (parmesan cheese).
National drinks:
Wines are named after grape varieties, village or area of origin. The most widespread is the Chianti group of vineyards in Tuscany.
• Roman wines include Albano and Frascati (whites); Barolo in Valle d'Aosta; Valpolicella in Veneto; Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio (whites); Cabernet and Pinot Nero (reds) in Friuli-Venezia; and Chianti, Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello in Tuscany.
• Vermouths are popular in Piemonte.
• Aperitifs such as Campari and Punt e Mes are excellent appetizers.
• Italian liqueurs include Amaretto, Limoncello, Grappa and Strega.
Local Products/Shopping
Many Italian products, especially clothes, shoes and bags, are world-famous for their style and quality. Florence, Milan and Rome are famous as important fashion centers. Some places are known for particular products, eg Carrara (Tuscany) for marble. In several parts of Sardinia writing paper made of cork is produced. Cremona (Lombardy) is famous for its handmade violins. Valenza (Piedmont) has a large number of goldsmiths, and Sulmona (Abruzzo) produces ‘confetti’, sugar-coated almonds used all over Italy for wedding celebrations. Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna) is famous for mosaics and Volterra (Tuscany) for alabaster goods.
Copyright @ BeijingService.com
BeijingService team is a Beijing based China tour operator. We mainly engaged
in providing high quality China travel service including beijing tour, Xian tour,
shanghai tour, etc; as well as China hotels reservation service.
1. Galleria Regionale.
Like most of Western Europe, early spring and autumn are the best times to visit and travel around Italy.