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Mini-Guide To Italy

Italy is located in Southern Europe on the Mediterranean coast. It has Sicily and Sardinia (two of the largest islands in the Mediterranean) off its cost. To the north of the country, its Alpine border is shared with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The largest cities are of course some of the most famous - Milan, Naples and the capital, Rome. Mainly Italian is spoken throughout the country, however in Sardinian and some of the northern provinces non-Italian speakers use Sardinian and variations on some German and French dialects, as well as some pockets of Greek-speakers in the south of the country.

Or view the list of airports in Italy.

Widely known as one of the world leaders in fashion and cuisine, Italy is also renowned for its contribution to the motoring world. It has been a major power throughout history in terms of art, music, science, architecture and literature, and as such there are many art galleries and museums spread across the country, whilst the Alps offer skiing and other such sports throughout the year. Italy has a large railway network, connecting its inland cities, along with web of well-maintained roads and expressways, approximately 133 airports and 27 major ports, making it very easy to get to and travel around. The currency of the country is the Euro, and whilst the general cost of living in Italy is quite high, it is one of the most expensive countries in the EU - this is largely on the cost of luxury products and cars. Wines and spirits are cheap, as is transport. Food is unfortunately one of the more expensive costs, however you generally receive large portions for your money. During the summer, meals are had fairly late in Italy, with lunch not starting until 1pm and dinner rarely starting before 8pm. Restaurants usually close between lunch and dinner, although in large tourist areas some stay open all afternoon. The shops also tend to close for about 3 or 4 hours in the afternoon, but then open again until up to around 8pm, although food shops are generally closed on Monday mornings and Saturday afternoons, and Wednesday is often only a half-day opening.