About Italy

A quick summary of Italy and some useful info

Italy is a large country with a range of climates, including Alpine in the far north among its mountains, and Mediterranean along its 7,600–7,900 kilometres of coastline. Funnily enough for one of the world’s fashion capitals, the Italian peninsula famously resembles a knee-high boot.

Packed with natural beauty, you’ll lose yourself in Italy’s craning mountain peaks, and pristine beaches. It’s also the most biodiverse country in Europe and it has two active volcanoes, Mount Etna and Vesuvius.

Italy is, in some ways, a young country, having only been unified in 1861. And yet, it’s capital, Rome, is as legendary as it is ancient. It midwifed the Renaissance, with Florence, Milan and Rome being hubs of artistic glory for centuries. Architectural wonders, like il Duomo in Milan or the Colosseum are seemingly around every corner.

And the food! Coffee, pastries, pizza, pasta, cheese, meat, wine, limoncello, amaretto, gelato – the list goes on and on and on. Italy offers you the delights of its world-famous cuisine, which you can get on the street, in bars and cafés, and in Michelin-starred restaurants.

Soak up Italy’s history by visiting the medieval castles, lavish palaces and stunning cathedrals of its cities. Jaw-dropping natural beauty can be found from top to bottom, in the Dolomites and Alps, and in the sparkling lakes of Como and Garda. A seemingly limitless store of treasures can be sampled and enjoyed in its various art galleries and historical museums too.

There is almost no end to the enjoyment on offer in Italy. And we are determined to help you get the most out of your trip.

• Discover it all on a classic Italy tour

Here’s a few quick facts about Italy:

Capital: Rome
Population: 58.9 million
Currency: Euro
Language: Italian
Total area: 302,073 km2
Time zone: Central European Time (CET) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST) in summer
Country code: +39
Emergency services: 112
Location: Italy is made up of a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea and a number of islands off its south and west coasts. It’s bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.
Form of government: Democratic republic.