Overview

Italy is located in south-central Europe having a peninsula that touches the Mediterranean Sea. This country is known for having the most varied and scenic landscapes on Earth and also for looking like a boot! Italy’s archaeological record stretches tens of thousands of years back! Rome, Italy’s capital, is one of the oldest of the world’s great cities. Visitors like to enjoy the city’s famed dolce vita or “sweet life”.

Daily Life

Most Italian families say their favorite daily activities are watching television, reading newspapers, listening to the radio, and going to the cinema. Teens meet friends daily and hang out in the city's piazzas in the evenings. Coastal areas are popular destinations in the summer. Food controls the work patterns. It revolves around the midday meal which usually gives workers a two hour long lunch break.

Art

Italy is known for its artistic and intellectual developments of the Renaissance. Because Rome is part of an old civilization it has earned the name “The Eternal City” by writers and poets. Giotto di Bondone is one of the artists of the Italian Renaissance. He went against the Byzantine style of painting, giving weight, dimension, and personality to his subjects. Instead he decided to make realistic work, where he mainly focused on drawing churches like the Florence Cathedral, and the Scrovegni Chapel. Other famously known artists from Italy are Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Brunelleschi, and Bernini.

Cuisine

Who hasn’t heard of pizza or spaghetti? Italy was able to give the whole world something that almost everyone loves. Not only has Italy made these foods, there are tons of other foods that I’m sure most have heard of. Italians also made lasagna, risotto, truffles, and coffee! These are some of the traditional dishes from Italy. Another traditional dish is bottarga or also known as “Sicilian Caviar”. Smoked eggs and mullets that have been pressed and salted and have been air dried for six months. But the most common dish you’ll find in Italy is pasta.

Fashion

Italy is a world leader in fashion! Many Italians have lots of pride in the way they look and dress because of this. Models from Gucci, Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more go to Milan, an industry center. Italians don’t like to have super thin models, instead, they like to show off a women’s figure. But before these expensive brands existed the traditional Italian clothing was a colorful embroidered skirt with hats decorated with fruits or flowers and finally a simple light-weight blouse. As for the men it would be a bit more simpler than the women’s outfits but they did stand out with their embroidery, metal buttons, and pins.

Music

Here the Gregorian chant was made. This chant was the innovation of modern music in the 11th century. A composer named Giuseppe Verdi said that he got inspiration from his dreams where he heard voices of angels in music. Another famous composer was Vivaldi. He would make beautiful music with his sacred vocal music that inspired other institutions. Italy has tons of music festivals-- going from classical, jazz, and pop-- throughout the year. The Festival of San Remo is where Italian pop music is presented. The most famous festival is the annual Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto. The RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) has four orchestras and some are even attached to opera houses where people can listen from all over Italy.

Transportation

Most Italtians go around by car but the 20% that don’t own one use the metro system. Trenitalia (Italy’s train system) is a good way to get around Italy. This metro system connects all of the major cities and has lots of options going from high-speed trains to late-night trains. The high speed trains go to the most popular cities (like Vencie and Florence), while the slower trains go to secondary spots. Coach buses can also be found in Italy but locals say it is much easier to just use the metro system. Taxis are better than Uber even though they can be expensive. The problem with Uber is that you can only use it in Milan and Rome. Surprisingly flights within Italy are very cheap and cost the same as taking the train.