Italy consists of a mountainous peninsula in southern Europe extending into the Mediterranean Sea and includes the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and about 70 other smaller islands. The Alps form Italy's border with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Most of Italy has warm, dry summers and mild winters, with northern Italy experiencing colder, wetter winters. There are some notable active volcanoes: Vesuvius (near Naples), Etna (on Sicily), and Stromboli (north of Sicily).

Cities

There are hundreds of Italian cities, here are nine of its most famous:

Rome (Roma) - the capital, both of Italy and,one time, of the Roman Empire until 285 AD; home of the Roman Catholic Church (the Vatican).

Milan (Milano) - Known as one of the main fashion cities of the world, it's also the most important centre of trade and business in all the country.

Naples (Napoli) - Beside Venice, Taranto and Genoa,one of the most important port city in Italy. Naples is filled with life, and sun. Here you will find the best pizza in Italy, because it was born here. Naples is also near to the famous volcano Vesuvius and the ruins of the ancient Roman towns of Pompei and Ercolano.

Florence (Firenze): City of "rebirth". This city is known for its architecture and art and for the impact it has had throughout the world. Florence is also home to Michelangelo's famous statue of David. Home to many other well-known museums of art.

Turin (Torino) - First capital of Italy, after being the capital of Kingdom of Sardinia (actually Piedmont-centred), what had promoted national reunification. Home of the FIAT, the most important industry in Italy,. Turin is a well known industrial city, based on the aerospace industry and, of course, automobile industry. Home of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Bologna - Home of the first university in the western world. This city is filled with history, culture, and technology. Bologna is well known for its food. One of the world's great university cities.

Genoa (Genova) - It was one of the most important medieval maritime republic. Very wealthy and diverse city. Its port brings in tourism and trade, along with art and architecture. Genoa is birthplace of Columbus and jeans.

Pisa - Pisa, one the medieval maritime republic, is home to the unmistakable image of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Very touristy city. Streets are filled with vendors who will try to sell you anything. Famous too for the University "La Normale".

Venice (Venezia) - Venice is known for its history (the most important, beside Genoa and Pisa, of the medieval maritime republics) , art, and world famous canals. One of the most beautiful cities in Italy; it is home to Island of Murano, which is famous for its hand-blown glass. St. Mark's Square is where most of the tourists are and can get very crowded in the summertime.

Climate


Italy stretches from Mont Blanc, in the Alps mountain range, in the north, past the Dolomites mountain range, with the Adriatic Sea to the east, to the Mediterranean Sea in the south — this wide range of causes the weather to vary considerably, and Italy's climate varies from the cold in the northerly mountainous region to hot and dry in the hills and plains of the south. Local variations depend on altitude and distance from the sea.

The country's overall temperate climate is due to the protection by the mountain ranges from the cold winds from the north — although the temperatures in the north can still drop below zero centigrade. Towards the centre the fog is a constant factor in winter, while the winters are mild in the south.

In the mountains temperatures drop quickly, winters in the north are much colder with a January average temperature of -8oC for alpine ski resorts.

In much of Italy temperatures average 24oC all summer and heavy thunderstorms bring the only summer rain which evaporates rapidly.

In summer, the hot weather from Africa moves north to the whole country, carried by the Scirocco, Africa's hot dry wind but surrounded by warm seas and with mountains close by, the coast always has a breeze.

Mountain areas are cooler with clear sunny skies. Hot air rising from the coasts brings thunderstorms to the mountain areas, which experience the greatest change from summer to winter especially in the valleys of Tuscany and Umbria.




When to visit Italy


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 season can 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.

Electricity. Italy uses 220V, 50Hz. Italy has its own electrical plug design. The standard "European" two-prong plugs will fit, but grounded (three-prong) plugs from other countries will not. German-type "Schuko" sockets can also be found quite often, especially in the north, and you'll find adapters for that system in virtually all supermarkets. Adapters for other systems (including US plugs) are not that ubiquitous but can be found at airports or in specialised shops.



Specialties

Almost every city and region has its own specialities, a brief list of which may include:

Risotto - Aroborio rice that has been sautéed and cooked in a shallow pan with stock. The result is a very creamy and hearty dish. Meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and cheeses are almost always added depending on the recipe and the locale. Many restaurants, families, towns, and regions will have a signature risotto or at least style of ristotto, in addition or in place of a signature pasta dish (risotto alla Milanese is famous Italian classic). It's a typical dish in Lombardy and Piedmont.

Arancini - Balls of rice with tomato sauce, eggs, and cheese that are deep fried. They are a southern Italian specialty, though are now quite common all over.

Polenta - Yellow corn meal (yellow grits) that has been cooked with stock. It is normally served either creamy, or allowed to set up and then cut into shapes and fried or roasted. It is a very common dish in northern mountains restaurants, usually eaten with deer of boar meat.

Gelato This is the Italian version of ice cream. The non-fruit flavors are usually made only with milk. Gelato made with water and without dairy ingredients is also known as sorbetto. It's fresh as a sorbet, but tastier. There are many flavors, including coffee, chocolate, fruit, and tiramisù.

Tiramisù Italian cake made with coffee, mascarpone, and ladyfingers (sometimes rum) with cocoa powder on the top. The name means "pick-me-up."



Pizza is a quick and convenient meal. In many large cities there are pizza shops that sell by the gram. When ordering, simply tell the attendant the type of pizza you would like (e.g. pizza margherita, pizza con patate (french fries), pizza al prosciutto (ham), etc.) and how much ("Vorrei due fette - two slices - per favore"). They will slice it, warm it in the oven, fold it in half, and wrap it in paper. Other shops also sell by the slice, similar to American pizza shops. Italians found this a sort of second class pizza, chosen only when you cannot eat a "real" pizza in a specialized restaurant (Pizzeria). Getting your meal on the run can save money--many sandwich shops charge an additional fee if you want to sit to eat your meal. Remember that italian pizzas have a thinner base of bread and less cheese than the foreign sold ones.

Stay safe

Like most developed countries, Italy is a very safe country to travel. There are few incidents of terrorism/serious violence and these episodes have been almost exclusively motivated by internal politics. Examples include the 1993 bombing of the Uffizi by the Italian Mafia. Almost every major incident is attributed to organized crime or anarchist movements and rarely, if ever, directed at travelers or foreigners.

Petty crime can be a problem for unwary travelers. Travelers should note that pickpockets often work in pairs or teams, occasionally in conjunction with street vendors. The rate of violent crimes in Italy is considered "moderate," and while a portion of violent crimes are committed against travelers, it is normally not a problem. However, instances of rape and robbery as a result of drugging are increasing. Travelers should be careful when going out at night alone.

Travelers should also be sure to ask for prices before making transactions with most vendors. Taking pictures with jovial, high-spirited costumed mascots will be followed up with a demand for payment. Some other examples are when gelato is purchased or a shoe shine is desired, prices should be asked for beforehand, since reports of extreme price gouging has occurred.

Beware of being tricked on prices even in restaurants, bars, and hotels. If they see you are a tourist, it's somewhat common to give you a higher bill than you're supposed to pay, and you MUST complain to get the right price or even getting your change back!

Out of the restaurant, you might occasionally be asked to show your bill and your documents by Guardia di Finanza agents (a police specialized in tax subjects - sometimes in uniform, sometimes in civilian clothes); whatever they show you, ask for the badge, and if uncertain, immediately try to call #113 (similar to America's 911 - English spoken) and ask for policemen in uniform to help you, as it could be a trick to pickpocket you. This type of tax agent activity is frequent (they want to know if the owner regularly recorded your payment) and completely legitimate, but pickpocketers find it a good excuse to approach their victims. Call 113 or enter the first shop.

There are many bars in Italy that cater to tourists and foreigners with "home country" themes, calling themselves such things as "American bars" or "Irish pubs". In addition to travelers, these bars attract a large number of Italians who, among other reasons, go there specifically to meet travelers and other foreigners. And while the motivation for the vast majority of these Italians is simply to have a good time with new friends, there can be one or two petty criminals who loiter in and out of these establishments hoping to take advantage of travelers who are disoriented or drunk. Traveling to these places in groups is a simple solution to this problem.

For emergencies, call 113 (Polizia di Stato - State Police), 112 (Carabinieri - Gendarmery), 117 (Guardia di Finanza - Financial police force), 115 (Fire Department), 118 (Medical Rescue), 1515 (State Forestry Department), 1530 (Coast Guard), 1528 (Traffic reports).

Currency

The currency in Italy is the euro (EUR).


1 Euro = 4.78137945 Malaysian ringgits

http://coinmill.com/EUR_MYR.html#EUR=1


Euro banknotes and coins were circulated on the 1st of January 2002. Twelve European Union countries use the euro as currency. They are Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland.

Euro banknote denominations are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500. Coin denominations are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent and 1 and 2 euro.

Prior to Italy becoming a member of the European Union and converting to the euro, the currency was the lira

Visas


Members of the European Union do not need a visa to enter Italy. Nor do nationals of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, San Marino, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Provided they do not stay more than 90 days in Italy, nationals of the following countries do not need to obtain a visa either: Andorres, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Rumania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, USA, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuala.

Therefore all visitors to Italy who are not entitled to enter without a visa, must apply for a tourist (entry) visa. You must submit the following original documents to your local Italian Consulate office:

• A visa application form, fully completed
• A passport with a signature of the holder, which is valid for not less than 3 months beyond the intended period of stay, with a blank page available for the visa to be put on
• One recent passport sized colour photograph
• Proof of employment letter from the applicant's employer indicating the position held by the applicant within the company
• Letter of invitation to stay with family or friends resident in Italy or proof of a round-trip air ticket and hotel reservation
• Proof of funds as evidenced by the applicant's most recent bank statements on an official bank form or letterhead
• Applicants who are 18 years old need an original copy of declaration of consent written either by both parents or by their legal guardian
• There will be a visa fee to be paid at the time of application

When in Rome...



The Colosseum, the Vatican, the Forum... where to start? Well, wherever you start you will end up with sore feet. There is a lot of walking in Rome, but fortunately there are a lot of espresso cafes and pastry shops to help you along the way! Rome's old town is very walkable, not only because of its compact size but also because of the beautiful sights that you inevitably stumble across along the way. Rome is an artists dream with ancient ruins and grandiose palaces scattered across the picturesque city, but the art of Rome is how these monuments of old sit so comfortably along side the coffee shops, designer labels and street markets of modern day Rome. Rome is one of those cities that actually has got something for everyone from renaissance paintings and a quiet walk in the park, to the hectic cosmopolitan lifestyle of the modern Roman.

There is no shortage of ‘culture' in Rome and whether you enjoy sightseeing or not, the famous sights of Rome cannot be missed. The Colosseum is a perfect place to start with its central location and its close vicinity to many other sights. The Colosseum is always crowded from the moment it opens to when you are kicked out, but the best time to visit it is without a doubt for the last admission in the early evening. Not only are there fewer crowds but the view over the forum at sunset from the window of the Colosseum is awe-inspiring.

The Colosseum has been looted, damaged and collapsed and although you can still imagine gladiators and lions chasing each others heels inside, it is well worth joining a guided tour in order to fully appreciate the design and history of its crumbling walls. As you meander outside the Colosseum you are usually approached by the tour guide groups who offer an entertaining tour, entrance and queue jump for around €14 (you can normally get this price down if you can convince them that someone else offered you a tour for cheaper). The tour guides are a lot of fun, usually Italian men with a comic grasp of English, whose funny phrasing will confuse and humour you. It is easy to see why this is one of the most visited sights in Europe, however as a consequence there is a bit of a tourist circus around it and people do try to rip you off — especially those in gladiator costumes who demand a hefty €10 per photo!

To avoid the masses, visit the Colosseum in the evening, when it is closed! Although fascinating from the inside, the Colosseum also needs to be fully appreciated from the outside. The ring is lit up tastefully and the lack of umbrella-holding Japanese tourist groups makes it terribly romantic (despite the fact that it was essentially a place of barbaric sports and whoring!) The small patch of green outside the Colosseum lends itself to the perfect spot for a picnic — although a toilet can be quite hard to find after a few bottles of wine! If the amazing ruins and architecture don't interest you, then all the wedding parties posing outside the Colosseum will certainly keep you entertained throughout the evening!
The forum is also especially good to visit in the lazy glow of the early evening, as it casts beautiful shadows across its own walls to show off its compelling architecture. However the best tour is offered by young Romans who will gladly show you where a ladder has been hidden for years, in order to climb over the wall and have a private viewing at 3am!

Although Rome is beautiful by night, the Vatican City has to be seen during the day — unless you have an invite from the Pope. The best way to beat the crowds is again by arriving just before last admission. The entrance queue does trail around the block a number of times, however it is relatively fast moving — and is certainly quick considering it is a border control for an entirely different state! The collections in the Vatican museums have taken hundreds of years to be accumulated and it would take you quite a few years to view them properly. Every wall is dripping with luxurious artwork painted on every spare square inch – and that is just the decor! The collections themselves are vast and exhaustive! Everything in the museum has been collected by a Pope and they all seem to share, to say the least, ‘eclectic' taste, from the Egyptian museum to the Raphael rooms to the bizarre room dedicated to dogs in the act of violence or fornication! The Vatican museums do deliver a fantastic entertainment factor and at times it does feel like you are walking around your crazy uncle's attic full of random things he has collected over the years — although this isn't your uncle's attic, they are the ‘attics' of some of the world's most important religious leaders, but nevertheless full of their random collections over the years!

The walls of the museums are so exquisitely decorated that as you meander through them you continually wonder whether you have been through the Sistine chapel yet. But when you do reach the Sistine chapel, after a very long walk through the many isles and isles of the museums, you will know you are there! There could not be another chapel in the world that has received so much attention to detail, to the point that there is not a spot of wall left unpainted! The Sistine chapel has been decorated and redecorated by some of the world's greatest painters which results in a jaw-dropping (if not slightly garish) explosion of fine art at its finest!

The Sistine chapel is one of the many triumphs of Michelangelo and Rafael among others; however it is by no means the only triumph. It would seem that almost the entire city of Rome has been designed by some of the world's most amazing artists. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo (one of the many Basilica di Santa Maria's) behind Stazione Termini is one of the more underrated but nevertheless extraordinary art works in Rome. The architecture of the Basilica, partly designed by Raphael, is engrossing and can only be appreciated fully after walking around the outside of the church at least ten times! It is a wonderfully obscure looking building with typically lavish décor (by Caravaggio) with cherubs literally coming out of the paintings.

Saint Peters is also a very impressive church, along with the very impressive queue size, however it is easy to wile away your wait on the piazza watching the terribly amusing huge family of pigeons that resides there. Although Saint Peters is impressive, the walk behind the piazza is also pretty exceptional. The sheer number of Pope Memorabilia shops is unbelievable and you can buy anything from a mini Vatican City fridge magnet to an entire replica pope outfit!

Rome is full of charismatic and important land marks to the point that you never really need to leave, but to escape the heat and bombardment of monument upon monument, it is worth catching the train just out of Rome to visit what used to be a retreat for the wealthy Romans, the quaint and alluring town of Tivoli. An hour's bus or train journey through the rolling countryside brings you to this gorgeous quiet town with winding cobbled streets, narrow sloping houses and the tranquil Villa d'Este. The villa alone is stunning with its rich renaissance paintings and gorgeous views, but the real draw here are the luscious green gardens and their fountains. To say it has a few fountains is an understatement, there is water gushing from every corner anointing grand statues and often spraying those walking by! This is a memorable day trip with magnetizing views across the Italian landscape and more ancient ruins in the distance, and is especially welcoming on a hot summer's day or for the evening during the summer programme of live jazz.

The fountains within Rome are also very calming amongst the bustle of the city. The Trevi fountains have to be visited, although they are often very crowded and for the optimum viewing it is best to go late at night when there are less people and the water is lit up. Despite being quieter at night, there are still people at the fountains (usually a young friendly crowd enjoying the view with bottle of wine!) however it is still guarded by armed police men, although a ‘La Dolce Vita' moment may seem like a good idea at the time, it should probably be avoided!
There are so many captivating look out points all over Rome, one of the best is from the large park Villa Borghese where the view stretches from San Pietro to Arco di Costantino and the majority of Rome's sights can be located. Rome has a vast number of fantastic monuments, some subtle and many terribly unsubtle (young Romans often call the imposing Vittoriano the ‘white monstrosity') however the parts of modern day Rome are also enchanting.

The steep maze of narrow streets above the Spanish steps and around Villa Borghese provide a lovely walk around towering flats, hanging laundry, worn-out cobbles and artists crouched over canvases on every corner. Similarly below the Spanish steps the streets are beckoning to be wandered with their mandarin painted houses and cosy candle lit cafes, the perfect place to watch the city roll by. This is also the area for shopping (or window shopping as the case may be) at all the famous Italian designers boutiques, with Gucci, Cavalli, Moschino, Fendi and Versace all lined up for the picking. More economical shopping is also readily available, high street stores and colourful street markets are filled with lively clothes, shoes and leather goods and Rome is the best place to buy your fake designer sunglasses with stalls on literally every corner!

In the evening, street drinking is by far the most popular and authentic way of enjoying a night out Roman style! The piazzas in Trastevere are always packed with a young friendly crowd and often live music accompanies. Alcohol can be bought from gelaterias, pizzerias and bars and a large beer will set you back one mere euro. Around the Stazione Termini is also a popular hang out, but girls should try to be accompanied by a male in order to avoid unwanted attention. There are pub crawls organised for young travellers every night, however the ‘pubs' you visit are aimed for and mainly used by tourists and pick pocketing is a common occurrence.

Getting around Rome is fairly easy, it is often quicker to walk but if your feet are too tired the bus service is good and the metro runs until quite late. A 90 minute travel ticket costs €1.20 and covers all types of transport, although at night the metro barriers are rarely guarded, so a ticket is not always necessary! Accommodation in Rome is varied and there is plenty of it, from five-star luxury to very budget hostels. Both ‘Rome' airports are about a forty minute bus ride out of the city and it is easy to catch the bus from Stazione Termini, avoid airline operated coaches who charge ten times the fare of a regular bus ticket to do the exact same journey! The train station is easy to navigate but if you are in a rush there is only one ticket booth (despite being the Italian capital city!) and queues can take a while, it is better to purchase your ticket from a machine if you can work it out — or get an Italian to work it out for you! Although there are worse train stations to be waiting in, with a whole shopping mall surrounding it and slices of pizza for next to nothing, there is plenty to occupy your time with!

Rome boasts some fantastic culinary delights and with its huge number of foreigners, Italian is not the only food on the menu. However, the pasta here is taken quite seriously and needs to be tried many, many times. Be prepared to have to pick from at least thirty types of pasta and at least thirty types of sauce! ‘Pasta Mio' (13 Via Veneto) is a popular pasta place with the Italians and has a large variety, but be warned the Italian waiters may offer women a free massage; it is all part of the Italian... ‘charm'! Many good restaurants can be found down the narrow back alleys of Rome, the main streets normally house overpriced restaurants catering for tourists — the best restaurants are the ones without a translated menu, here you usually receive a more authentic meal (and occasionally a slightly surprising meal if your Italian is poor!)

Rome is undeniably beautiful and exudes a typical Italian simplicity and charm alongside the complex and awe-inspiring architecture and art. It certainly wasn't built in a day, but it won't take much more than one day for you to fall in love with it!



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