Italy

ITALY

Italy, officially the Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana in Italian) is a European country that is part of the European Union (EU). His territory is made up mainly the Italian peninsula and two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. In the north it is bordered by the Alps, where it borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent statesof San Marino and Vatican City are enclaves within Italian territory. In turn Campione d'Italia is an Italian city that is a small enclave in the territory of the Swiss Confederation. It has been home to many European cultures like Etruscans and the Romans and was also the birthplace of the Renaissance, which began in the region of Tuscany and soon spread throughout Europe. The capital of Italy,Rome, was for centuries the political and cultural center of Western civilization, and is also the holy city for the Catholic Church, for within the city is the microstate of the Vatican. The cultural significance of the country is reflected in its World Heritage Sites, as has forty-four, the highest number in the world It is the third European Union country that receives more tourists per year,Rome's third most visited city. Another important city is Milan, a center of finance and industry, and according to the Global Language Monitor, the capital of the fashion. Italy is a democratic republic, is part of G8 or Group of Eight leading industrialized nations and is a developed country with a very high quality of life, found in 2005 among the top eight in the world. Italy also enjoys a highlevel of human development, being the 18th most developed country in the world. is a founding member of the European Union, signing the Treaty of Rome in 1957. It is also a founding member of the Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Trade Organization, Council of Europe and the Western European Union. The country, andespecially Rome, has a strong impact on policy issues and culture in global organizations like the Organization for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Glocal Forum or the World Food Programme (WFT).

Best Places to Go:
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the national economy with 43.7 million tourists a yearand a total 42,700 million dollars generated, making it the fourth country with the world tourism. Rome, capital, is one of the most visited destinations in the world with an average of 7 to 10 million tourists a year. The Colosseum in Rome with four million tourists, is the 37th most visited site in the world. It also benefits religious and cultural tourism generated by the proximity to the VaticanCity visited places such as the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica. Other places of interest include the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Roman Forum, Castle Sant'Angelo or the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the latter sovereignty of Vatican City. The cultural interest of the country is also reflected in all the World Heritage of Unesco, which has, as is the country that contains asmany places in the world 44.

The Parties:
Date Name in English New Year Epiphany Local Name

1January 6 January

Capodanno Epifanía

Móbile

Easter Sunday Easter Monday Liberation Day Labor Day

Domenica di Pasqua

Móbile

Lunedì dell'Angelo

25 April

Liberazione

1 May 2 June

Festa del Lavoro

Republic Day Festa della Repubblica

15 August

Assumption of MaryAssunta (Ferragosto)

1 November

All Saints' Day Immaculate Conception

Tutti i Santi

8 December

Immacolata Concezione

25 December Christmas 26 December Boxing Day

Natale Santo Stefano

The Best Thinghs Of Italy:
The architecture:
Italy boasts a long period of different architectural styles, from Classical Roman and Greek, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Art...