Italy, called ‘Il Belpaese’ by it’s countrymen, or ‘Beautiful Country’, has probably has had more impact on civilization than any other country as one looks back over the past two millennia. On every score- art, culture, architecture, religion, politics, government, ingenuity or food- one can find a wealth of history and influences that permeate our society today.
Visitors to Italy find themselves with such a vast array of choices that the problem is where to start and how to choose amongst them! Accommodation in Italy is so varied and plentiful, that one need only decide on where to stay and what their pocketbook wants to spend. Hotels in Rome, villa-style lodging in Tuscany, mountain-top inns in the Alps- there’s an endless choice to choose from. Italy is at once the land of pasta, painters and Popes, but is unrivalled in its pure physical beauty. It is famed for its Roman ruins, remnants of the greatest empire to grace the Earth. Visitors to Rome can marvel at historical relics and art that give one a direct connection to birth of the Catholic Church, the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and beauty of the Trevi Fountain. There is every kind of art, every type of architecture, a wealth of music and cuisine prepared by some of the best chefs on the planet.
For things to do, no matter what time of year, Italy offers everything from skiing in the Alps to sunbathing on Adriatic Sea beaches. You can glide on the canals of Venice, visit the galleries and museums of Florence, walk the vineyards of Tuscany, stroll through the narrow alleyways of Bologna, or relax at a resort on Lake Como. Of all the old countries in Europe, Italy is probably the hardest to assign a labels. It is an icon of culture and at the leading edge of the fashion, art and culinary world, yet it is also a modern, industrialized nation, famous for an artist’s eye for detail and engineered perfection. Many of the qualities that one finds upon visiting this boot-shaped country are the same ones that made Italy historical great of the past 2,500 years..
One finds the people of Italy at once intense, emotional and sincere. Italians are given to shouting, gesturing, and embracing life to its fullest. They can one moment be dismissive of intrusive tourists, and at another be incredibly gracious and helpful, revelling in sharing a bit of themselves with visitors. Everything about Italy seems to convey that it strives to excel at anything it does, a passion self-evident whether one is walking amongst the ruins of the Roman Coliseum, gazing at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes, or relaxing in the dining room of a Naples café.