Italy - Travel Guide
Description
Rich in history, Italy is renowned for its beautiful mix of colour, landscape, food and style. Part of the first Roman republic founded in 509BC, Italy blends the riches of the past with the hopes of the future and is an amazingly diverse geographical and cultural experience. This peninsular country, which includes a collection of islands, extends into the central region of the Mediterranean in Southern Europe.
The mixture of terrain divides the country very neatly into three main areas; the Alps, the Po-Venetian Plain and the Apennine Chain. Mont Blanc, Italy's highest peak is part of the Alpine region in northern Italy; the fertile Po-Venetian Plain extends from West to East in the centre, separating the Apennines, Italy's mountainous backbone which extends from Genoa in the North all the way down to Sicily in the South, from the Alps. The country's climate has a great deal of variation, dependent upon where you are based, long, severe winters in the Alps compare with glorious, dry summers in the south and on the islands of Sardinia, Sicily, Capri and several smaller Mediterranean islands.
Rome, the capital city of Italy, provides style all the way; here you can shop ‘till you drop, or indulge your senses with pizzas, packed piazzas, majestic monuments, quality cars and calm cathedrals. Italy plays an important role in promoting arts and culture, and there is plenty to be discovered, not only in the awesome capital, but all over this stunningly beautiful country.
Italy has plenty of attractions to tempt the tourist. The world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, the romantic city of Venice with its gondolas and gondoliers, the stunning hues of the Tuscan countryside, some of Europe's best castles, the Vatican City and (for the more adventurous), three active volcanoes.
Friendly and hospitable, the Italians welcome visitors of any age and there is plenty of opportunity to explore the beauty of undiscovered beaches, fascinating churches and, of course, a practically endless choice of excellently mouth-watering food and fabulous Italian wine.
Driving Guide
Drive on the right! Minimum driving age in Italy is 18, providing you hold a full driving licence. Make sure you carry your licence in the vehicle at all times, together with the vehicle registration document and certificate of motor insurance. Your vehicle must have a warning triangle, and you are strongly advised to also carry a first-aid kit, although this is not compulsory. Headlamps should be converted to European standards. Although officially banned in built-up areas, horns are widely used on Italian roads, especially by the locals, who like to warn you of their approach! Speed limits are as follows: motorway 130km/h; dual carriageway 110km/h; open road 90km/h; town 50km/h. Some three-lane motorways with emergency lanes may have a speed limit of 93km/h, so keep an eye on the signs! Radar traps are frequent, and heavy on-the-spot fines are common, but make sure you get a receipt for any payments you may have to make. Seat belts in both the front and the rear of the vehicle are compulsory. Children under 4 must be placed in a suitable restraint system, while children between 4 and 12 cannot travel in the front without special belts or seating. All grades of "benzina" (unleaded petrol) and "gasolio" (diesel) are available in Italy and, while credit cards are widely accepted, they may not work at the automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps open out-of-hours. Do NOT drink and drive.
Italy - Key Facts
Timezone: UK+1.Languages spoken: Italian.
Capital City: Rome.
Major Cities: Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Turin, Venice.
Mojor Airports: Bologna, Cagliari (Sardinia), Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo (Sicily), Pisa, Rome, Turin, Venice, Verona.
Population: 58 million
Area: 301,230 sq km - 116,305 sq miles.
Climate Guide: Italy can be divided into three climatic regions: alpine; Po valley and northern plain; and peninsular region and islands. The Italian side of the Alps has rather more rainfall than the Swiss and Austrian side and the lower slopes are warmer in both summer and winter. The wettest time is between seasons and thunderstorms are most frequent in spring and autumn. The Po Valley and northern plain has well-distributed rainfall throughout the year. Summers are hot and winters surprisingly cold with frequent fog, frost and snow. The climate of peninsular Italy and the islands differs between the coastlands and the interior. During winter the higher areas are cold, wet and often snowy, the coastal areas mild. Summers are usually hot and dry, and changeable weather is common during autumn, winter and spring.
Currency: Euro (EUR 1 = 100 cents).
Notes: EUR: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500.
Coins: EUR: 1, 2. Cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50.
Telephone Code: 39
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz.
UK Tourist Information: Italian State Tourist Board (ENIT)
1 Princes Street, London W1B 2AY
Tel: 020 7408 1254; 09065 508925 (brochures, £1/min)
Fax: 020 7399 3567
E-mail: italy@italiantouristboard.co.uk
Website: www.enit.it
Hotel Class: Hotels and pensions in Italy are officially classified: hotels from 1-star up to 5-star, pensions 1-star to 3-star. But it should be noted that each province sets its own levels for grading and consequently standards for each category may vary considerably from one area to another. Some provinces award an additional top grading of "5-star de luxe" shown here as *****L. Apartments in some provinces are classified from 1st class down to 4th class. Where a property is unclassified for whatever reason no category is shown.