|
Italy
Country & Tourist Information - The
miracle of Italy is that all its treasures come packaged
in a gorgeous country of majestic mountains, placid lakes,
idyllic islands, splendid cities and wonderful walled
villages. An ideal climate plus warm and gracious people
make Italy a perfect destination for an active vacation,
the art lover, the gourmand, the hedonist combined, why
not, with business.
Explore
the Italy landscape with a Campervan, Motorhome, RV or
Camper from one of the above Italy Camper hire companies.
With a Recreational Vehicle hire, you have the complete
freedom to discover the Italy Countryside at your own
pace with no strict timetables or hotel check ins.
Stop
when and where you want to ! Have the convenience of
storage space where you can take all the essential items
that you require for your family vacation up in the mountains
or alongside a river or down on the beach.
Create
life time memories with a Italy self drive camper rental.
Experience the adventure of the open road with your Italy
Camper Rental and enjoy great value for money (especially
for families) with being able to prepare your own meals
plus also the bonus of spending quality time with the
family.
Italy
(Italian: Italia, officially the Italian Republic; Italian:
Repubblica Italiana), is a country located in Southern
Europe, that comprises the Po River valley, the Italian
Peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean
Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. It is also called by Italians
lo Stivale ("the Boot", due to its boot-like
shape), il Bel Paese ("the Beautiful Country")
or la Penisola ("the Peninsula" as an antonomasia).
Italy
shares its northern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland,
Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San
Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italian
territory, while Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave
in Switzerland.
Today,
Italy is a highly-developed country with the 7th-highest
GDP and the seventeenth-highest Human Development Index
rating in the world. It is a member of the G8 and a founding
member of what is now the European Union (having signed
the Treaty of Rome in 1957), of the Council of Europe
and of the Western European Union. Starting from January
1, 2007, Italy is a non-permanent member of the UN Security
Council. It is considered by some a Great Power. Inhabitants
of Italy are referred to as Italians (Italiani, or poetically
Italici).
Climate
The climate in Italy is uniquely diverse and can be far from the stereotypical
Mediterranean climate and "land of sun", depending on
the location. The inland northern areas of Italy (Turin, Milan,
and Bologna) have a continental climate, while the coastal areas
of Liguria and the peninsula south of Florence fit the stereotype
(even if the city of Genoa, about once a year, may experience heavy
snow falls). The coastal areas of the peninsula can be very different
from the interior, particularly during the winter months. The higher
altitudes are cold, wet, and often snowy. The coastal regions,
where most of the large towns are located, have a typical Mediterranean
climate with mild winters and hot and generally dry summers. The
length and intensity of the summer dry season increases southwards
(compare the tables for Rome, Naples, and Brindisi).
Between
the north and south there is a quite remarkable difference
in the temperatures, above all during the winter: in
some winter days it can be -2°C and snowing in Milan
while Rome gets +12°C and it is +18°C in Palermo.
Temperature differences are less extreme in the summer.
(See how Po valley can be frosty in winter
Sports
Italians are renowned for their love of sports. Their zeal for sports
events is, indeed, no less than legendary; from the Gladiatorial
games of Ancient Rome, to the Stadio Olimpico of contemporary Rome,
where prestigious football clubs compete regularly, the impact
that sports has had on Italian culture is enduring and undeniable.
Towards the alps, the popularity of winter sports grows, with many
Italians from that region competing in international games and
Olympic venues. Moving downwards the peninsula, the disparity between
participation in sports becomes less regional. Despite any regional
variation that may exist, the incorporation of sports in many Italian
festivities like Palio (see also Palio di Siena), and the Gondola
race (regatta) that takes place in Venice on the first Sunday of
September, affirms the role sports play in everyday Italian life.
Popular sports include football, cycling, and auto racing (a sport
which shares its renown with a staple of Italian design, Ferrari),
among others.
|
