TOURISM of ITALY
Italy is a peninsula situated in Mediterranean Europe, extending into the central Mediterranean Sea.
The area of 301,230 sq km is divided in 20 regions.
Population: 58,103,033
Capital: Roma/Rome (2.775.000 inhabitants).
The Italian flag consists of three equal vertical bands of green, white and red. 
Currency: Euro
Italy’s landscape is mainly characterized by the Alps and the Apennines, two mountain chains.
In Northern Italy, the Alps form an arch which extends from east to west. The Po Valley with the Po (largest river in Italy) stretches at the foot of this Alpine Arch.
The Apennines may be considered the backbone of the Italian peninsula.
Main islands are Sicilia/Sicily and Sardegna/Sardinia.
There also are the principal archipelagos of the Tremiti Islands, Aeolian and Egadi Islands, the Tuscan Archipelago and the Pontine Islands.
When planning a trip to Italy, you will find accommodation in a very wide range. From youth hostels, to private luxury villas, there is certainly something to fit any budget. Timeshares are a money saving option, traditionally granting you one week per year in your favorite destination. If you want to explore the lifestyle, there are also timeshare rentals available throughout the country. No matter what type of lodging you choose, we look forward to seeing you here soon.
Italy has an extensive network of tourism information bureaus. Maps and all sorts of information booklets for everyone are available from these offices. For general information, the state tourist office – ENIT (Ente Nazionale Italiano per il Turismo) has branch offices in every major city. CIT (Compagnia Italiana di Turismo) is a national travel agency for accommodation, tours and all kinds of transportation and finally, APT (Azienda di Promozione Turistica) offers services for regional sightseeing information and also camping and hotel accommodation requirements.
The best way of seeing the country is to drive your car. Italian freeways (autostrada) are famous with their quality and comfort. Since the Roman times Italians are very serious about high quality road making. You would enjoy driving in a fast and exotic Italian car, like many other tourists do! We have to remind you that, on the average, Italian drivers are very fast and competitive on the road. Try not to match their improvisations.
The train services are extensive but timewise they are not very precise. The national airlines Alitalia has scheduled flights to every city and a large number of towns. There are also a number of small, local airline operators in the country, usually safe and cheaper than the larger competitors.
Italy is very well established with all sorts of touristic activities. There are always professional local organizers that you can easily find. We still recommend organizing your activities package before you reach there.
Visiting Italy is like a Canaletto painting come to life. Nowhere else you can experience such architectural harmony on such a grand scale. Centuries old buildings, bridges, piazzas, palaces, chapels, churches and many other architectural structures form together as a collection of artwork. Probably, more than anything else, Italy is an open air museum. You will experience wonderful beaches, beautiful country scenes, excellent skiing slopes and very friendly people but still the most astonishing part of Italy is its architectural treasures. Never to mention world-famous museums, full of Renaissance colours and the priceless works of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatella, Botticelli and Boccaccio, are overwhelming experience to see
