culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient ruins.

Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s "David" and

Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.

Italy is one of Europe's most complex and alluring destinations. A modern, industrialized nation, with an

artistic and architectural legacy that few other countries can rival, it's also a Mediterranean country

with a southern European sensibility, where traditional attitudes still prevail.

 

Facts & Figures:

Population: 61.6 million people live in Italy (2016)

Capital: Roma (Rome), which is often called 'Eternal City', with 2.6 mio inhabitants and Italy’s biggest

city.

Name: Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) or simply: Italia, Nickname: 'Bel Paese' which means

beautiful country

Government: Democracy, Republic

Language: Italian as well as German, French and Ladin in some regions in Northern Italy.

Literacy: More than 98% can read and write.

Religion: mainly Christians (Roman Catholics 90%)

Currency: 1 Euro=100 cents, before 2001 Italian Lira

Calling code: +39

Flag: The colors represent these virtues: hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).

Climate: With its hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, Italy experiences a mediterranean climate.

Winters in Italy are cool and humid in the north and the mountainous zone. ... In The summer these

Winds can bring very hot, unpleasant weather, sometimes even up to the northern districts of Italy.

Best time of Visit: The best time to visit Italy is in the spring (April to June) or fall (September and

October) when there are fewer tourists, lower prices, and moderate temperatures. The summer

months can be hot, crowded, and expensive. The winter months are often grey, wet, and cold in the

north but temperate south of Rome.