Location: Southern Europe, along the Mediterranean Sea, neighboring countries include France, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Spain.
Capital: Rome
Tourist Attractions: Italy combines old world charm with modern style to attract tourists from all across the world. The Colosseum, with its 50, 000 seating capacity in the city of Rome, is a grand spectacle. The Amalfi coast, the island of Capri, the Da Vinci Museum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are huge crowd pullers. A trip to Italy is not complete without taking a ride in the gondola on the canals of Venice. Cinque Terre – the five tiny, scenic, towns along the vineyard-laced coast of Liguria are oft-visited, as are the cities of Rome and Florence for their cultural and artistic heritage. Many religious tourists come to Italy to visit the Vatican, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.
Access: The international airports at Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice service international airlines and passengers. Italy is well connected to other European countries by road and rail links.
Ferry services connect Italy with Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, France, Slovenia, Croatia and Spain.
Climate: The north and the south of Italy experience different climates. North has hot summers and cold winters, while the temperature is comparatively moderate southwards where it is Mediterranean in nature.