Italy - Włochy

	Italy;
	Flag
	location
	Information
Capital city	Rome
System	republic
Currency	euro (€)
Time zone	UTC 1 - winter; UTC 2 - summer
Surface	301 230 km²
Population	60 317 000
Official language	Italian
Dominant religion	Catholicism (90%)
Telephone code	39
Electric voltage	220V / 50Hz
Car code	AND
Car traffic	right hand
Internet domain	.it

Italy (in Italian Italy) - a country located in the south Europe in the Mediterranean region. It borders with countries of great tourist importance:

in the north with Switzerland and Austria,
in the northwest with France,
and in the northeast with Slovenia.

There are two "internal" mini-states in the territory of Italy that are enclaves: Vatican and San Marino.

Italy is one of the most important countries in the world in terms of tourismvisited by over 46 million tourists every year. Italy attracts with monuments and works of art, Mediterranean cuisine, centuries-old history, rich culture and avant-garde fashion. Not to mention beautiful coasts and beaches, breathtaking mountains and picturesque lakes, islands and bays.

Characteristic

Italy, along with Greeceare considered the birthplace of Western culture. No wonder that this country has the largest number of monuments (50 objects) from UNESCO cultural heritage list in the world. You can find monuments and works of art at every turn.
More about monuments from the UNESCO list.

Italy is known worldwide for its delicious cuisine, new fashion trends, luxury sports cars and motorbikes, various regional cultures and dialects, as well as many beautiful coastlines, alpine lakes and mountains (the Alps). No wonder Italy is often called Bel Paese (A beautiful country).

San Marino and Vaticanto which we have access while in Italy, although technically they are not part of the European Union, they belong to the Schengen Agreement and the European Monetary Union (EMU). Italian is also the official language of both of these city-states, unifying them with Italy, as is both a currency that is the same as in Italy (Euro, €).

Italy is so rich in terms of tourism that one trip will definitely not be enough to get to know it. It is not only about monuments, and there are many of them. It is also about the kitchen, wine, people, morning coffee, landscapes. Everything seems right. The facades of the cathedrals have immaculate ornamentation, and the squares they stand on are perfectly proportioned. In Italy, you will find tradition and tranquility - in the villages, old people sit in the squares and gossip, as they have been doing for centuries. On the other hand, you will also find movement and energy. In cities, young people on scooters make a lot of noise. Elegantly dressed men and women cast a spell and draw the attention of everyone in sight. The joy of life is visible at every step - simply dolce vita.

Geography

Naples

Satellite picture of Italy

The country is located in Southern Europe, on the Apennine Peninsula, with the characteristic shape of a shoe, clearly visible on the map of Europe. In the north, the Alps rise, with the highest mountain of the state, Monte Bianco (fr. Mont Blanc) - 4087 m above sea level At the southern foot of the Alps there is the Padan Plain and it flows in the middle Pad, the largest river of Italy. Along the peninsula there is a chain of the Apennines, and on their western side, on the Gulf of Naples - there is Vesuvius, active volcano. On the east coast of Sicily - the largest island of Italy, rises the highest volcano in Europe - Etna. The second largest island of Italy, Sardinia, also has a mountainous landscape. Many small islands are of volcanic origin - the most famous are the Aeolian Islands. Italy is so rich in terms of tourism that one trip is definitely not enough to get to know it. It is not only about monuments, and there are many of them. It is also about the kitchen, wine, people, morning coffee, landscapes. Everything seems right. The facades of the cathedrals have immaculate ornamentation, and the squares they stand on are perfectly proportioned. In Italy, you will find tradition and peace - in the villages, old people sit in the squares and gossip like they have been doing for centuries. On the other hand, you will also find movement and energy. In cities, young people are riding scooters, making a lot of noise. Elegantly dressed men and women cast a spell and draw the attention of everyone in sight. The joy of life is visible at every step - simply dolce vita.

Climate

Italy is located in the Mediterranean climate zone, but there is quite a significant climatic variation, between the north (Alps) and the south (Sicily).

History

Contemporary Italy from around the 9th century BC they were settled by the Italian tribes. In time, around 350 BC, Rome was established as a powerful city-state. In addition, there were areas called Greek Magna Graecia (Great Greece) and located in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, inhabited from the 8th century BC, which lasted until the 3rd century BC, as well as the Etruscan civilization in the central part of the Peninsula, which flourished between 900-150 BC

The Roman Empire ruled south-west Europe and the Mediterranean region for many centuries. After the fall of Rome in 476, Italy was divided between many rival city-states for nearly 1,000 years, and eventually became the property of foreign powers - Spain, Austria, and Napoleonic France. The city of Rome was under the rule of the Catholic Church State. In the nineteenth century, the territories of Italy were liberated and in 1861 a new Kingdom of Italy was created, which quickly grew in strength and created a colonial empire, with colonies in Africa and on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. However, the south of Italy remained a poor agricultural land, which contributed to numerous Italian emigration, including to America.

In World War I, Italy was victorious over its rival Austria-Hungary. The democratic state collapsed and the fascists, led by Mussolini, came to power. In World War II, Italy joined the Axis powers. The bloody civil war followed Mussolini's removal from power in 1943 in a monarchist coup. After Italy's surrender to the Allies, they went over to their side and became a fighting force against Nazi Germany.

In 1946, the monarchy was abolished. In the 1950s and 1960s, Italy experienced an economic boom and the country underwent significant modernization. Italy became part of the western world and joined the EEC (which later created the European Union), the United Nations, NATO, the G7 and the OECD. Italy is a significant economic and political force in this part of the world.

Culture and art

Policy

Economy

Italy's diversified industrial economy produces a per capita income comparable to that of France and Great Britain. There is still a distinction between the private-dominated industrial north and the less developed agricultural south, which is struggling with 20% unemployment and is dependent on social welfare. Italy imports most of the raw materials for industry and more than 75% of its energy resources. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a strict fiscal policy to meet the requirements of the European Monetary Union (EMU), which has resulted in lower inflation and interest rates.

Society

Traditions

An administrative division

Map of Italy broken down by regions

Italy is divided into 20 regions, 5 of which have special rights: Sardinia, Sicily, Trentino-South Tyrol, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Aosta Valley.

Polish name	Italian name	Capital city	Population (2005)	Surface (km²)
Abruzzo	Abruzzo	L'Aquila	1299 272	10 793
Apulia	Puglia	Bari	4068 167	19 364
Basilicata	Basilicata	Potenza	596 546	9992
Emilia-Romagna	Emilia-Romagna	Bologna	4151 369	22 122
Friuli Venezia Giulia	Friuli-Venezia Giulia	Trieste	1204 718	7712
Calabria	Calabria	Catanzaro	2009 268	15 083
Campaign	Campania	Naples	5788 986	13 592
Lazio	Lazio	Rome	5269 972	17 210
Liguria	Liguria	Genoa	1592 309	5421
Lombardy¹	Lombardy	Milan	9473 084	23 861
Marche	Marche	Ancona	1518 780	9695
Molise	Molise	Campobasso	321 953	4438
Piedmont	Piemonte	Turin	4330 172	25 398
Sardinia	Sardegna	Cagliari	1650 052	24 090
Sicily	Sicilia	Palermo	5013 081	25 701
Tuscany	Toscana	Florence	3598 269	22 990
Trentino-South Tyrol	Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol	Trento	974 613	13 599
Umbria	Umbria	Perugia	858 938	8454
Aosta Valley	Valle d'Aosta / Vallée d'Aoste	Aosta	122 868	3266
Veneto	Veneto	Venice	4699 950	18 390

Cities

According to official data from 2011, Italy had over 150 cities with a population of over 50,000. residents. The country's capital Rome and the city of Milan had a population of over a million; 4 cities with a population of 500,000 up to a million; 40 cities with a population of 100-500 thousand and the rest of the cities below 50,000 residents. For comparison, 70 years earlier, cities with a population exceeding 50,000. Only 68 inhabitants, the most important cities in Italy are:

Bari
Bologna (Bologna)
Florence (Firenze)
Genoa (Genova)
Milan (Milano)
Naples (Napoli)
Palermo
Rome (Roma) - the capital of Italy
Turin (Torino)
Venice (Venezia)
Verona (Verona)

Other cities important from the tourist point of view are listed on the websites of individual Italian regions.

Other interesting places

Elba, Stromboli, Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Capri, Ischia
Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre
Pompeii and Vesuvius
Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore
Dolomites, Italian Alps, Syblińskie Mountains

Preparations

Travel time selection

The best months to visit Italy are from the beginning of April to the end of June and from the beginning of September to the end of October. This will protect us from unbearable heat and crowded beaches, but in the spring the sea will not be warm enough for swimming. Winters south of Rome are mild, but in the Alps and Apennines you can ski as much as you want.

Visas

Nationals of member states European Union, including Polish visas do not apply. The border is crossed on the basis of a valid passport or ID card.

Customs regulations

There are no restrictions on importing money, but in the case of large sums, additional clarification may be required at the border control. You can export up to 10 thousand in cash. EUR. Import of pets. From October 1, 2004, pets accompanying their owners on a trip to European Union countries must have passports, which is a requirement of EU law.

Phrase book

You can take advantage of Italian phrasebook in Wikivoyage.

Drive

By plane

Flights to Italy are operated by LOT Polish Airlines and Italian Alitalia, as well as cheap carriers: Hungarian WizzAir, Irish Ryanair, as well as Italian Meridiana and Volareweb. LOT and Alitalia operate connections from Warsaw to Milan (5 days), Rome (2-3 days), Venice (1 day) and Verona (4 days) and from Katowice to Turin (daily except Saturdays) and from Krakow to Milan (3-day).

By train

Getting to Italy is troublesome as there are no direct connections. The road to Rome leads through Vienna. Traveling by train is expensive, but it can be a good opportunity to visit parts of Europe. International rail passes can help to reduce costs and give you a lot of freedom in choosing your route.

By car

Motorized tourists going from Poland to Italy have a choice of several access roads. The choice of the route option depends to a large extent on the part of Poland in which we are going to start our journey. A person departing from Szczecin will probably develop a different way of travel than the one starting from Rzeszów. In practice, each traveler must individually determine the most advantageous route for him.

By bus

Currently, in every major city there are travel agencies offering coach journeys to many European countries. Most of them provide transport to Italy (Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples). Buses leave an average of three times a week. The journey to Rome takes 24-28 hours. Before buying a ticket, it is worth seeking opinions about transport companies or checking connections on internet portals, as well as in various travel agencies, among friends, because individual carriers differ in the level of services provided.

By ship

You can travel to Italy by ship from countries such as: Greece, Albania and Croatia. Most of the destination ports are: Venice, Ancona, Bari or Brindisi. There are also regular passenger lines from Corsica down Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia and on Sardinia. On Sicily You can get by boat from many ports along the North African coast.

Transport

By bus

Bus connections in Italy range from long-distance intercity routes to local winding roads between forgotten villages. This is the biggest advantage of buses over railways. Because the price does not have to be less.

By train

Advice:

If only there is a connection, it is worth betting on the train,
instead of hitting the bus.

Although the rail network is quite dense, it is obvious that we will not reach every corner of Italy by rail. However, it must be said that the Italian State Railways that have now turned into a company Trenitalia and other regional rail companies they are a good means of transport.

The journey is fast, comfortable and we usually get to our destination as planned. Almost every major city in Italy can be reached by train. Interestingly and importantly, journeys are relatively cheaper than in other European countries. Via the Trenitalia website (http://www.trenitalia.com) you can order tickets (also in English).

Trip

Tongue

The official language is Italian. Depending on the region in which we are staying, various linguistic varieties and local dialects can be found.

In the north-west of Italy (Aosta Valley), the inhabitants speak French, and in Trentino-Alto Adige, German-speaking people live. In Sicily, the Italian dialect is so different that it is sometimes considered a separate language.

The ability to speak the main European languages adds prestige in Italy. Young people usually learn English, but there is no shortage of people who speak Spanish, French and German. However, even in larger cities and resorts, even a minimal knowledge of Italian is useful. In the provinces, it may happen that a tourist does not meet anyone who speaks a language he knows.

Shopping

It is worth bringing, for example, coffee makers from Italy (caffetiera), which are relatively cheap in Italy. Upim and Standa department stores always offer a large selection. You can also buy clothes and shoes for gifts, but they are rather expensive. Milan is especially famous for its high prices. Only fairs provide an opportunity for cheap shopping.

Two nationwide department store chains, Upim and Standa, can be found in every city. They are not particularly expensive or elegant, and it is worth stocking up on toiletries and other essentials there. Sometimes the houses of both networks also have food departments.

Gastronomy

Italian cuisine has long been popular mainly due to the low prices of dishes and the ease of their preparation, and is now beginning to gain the position of one of the best cuisines in the world. Based mainly on olive oil, fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and herbs, it is one of the healthiest in Europe. There are also few nations that can boast such a variety of ways of cooking.

Accommodation

work

Security

Tourists in Italy are primarily exposed to document and money theft, burglary and car theft.

Health

State citizens European Union are treated on a reciprocal basis. This means that visitors and even tourists have the same rights and obligations as an Italian citizen. The basis for obtaining help is the card EHIC.

To use state health care in Italy, you must register with the Italian equivalent of the NFOZ. Without this registration, we will only get help in urgent cases.

Medical advice: payable up to 36 EUR (also a dentist).

Anxieties: depending on the group of drugs, they are paid as a lump sum (3.10 EUR) or paid in part. A large group of drugs are fully paid.

Emergency: cost - no data, phone no. 118.

Hospital: treatment is free, except for higher standard rooms.

In the case of a trip to Italy, especially when we intend to practice winter sports, it is recommended to have a separate, private insurance for treatment costs and treatment of the consequences of accidents while practicing winter sports, including transport of the victim by helicopter to hospital and transport to Poland. When concluding insurance, you should choose a company that does not require us to provide cash and return it after returning to the country, because we may not have such an amount. It is necessary to check whether this form of billing will be honored in Italy.

contact

Telephone

Internet

post

Tourist information

The Italian Ministry of Tourism has created a special multilingual information agency that provides assistance to foreigners when necessary. Easy Italiabecause this agenda is called, it works every day from 9:00 to 22:00. Contact with Easy Italia by phone 39 039 039 039 from all over the world, both from landline and mobile phones. During your stay in Italy, you can also call the toll-free number 800 000 039 from landlines and payphones. Via Skype (ID easyitalia) and via a special form on the website ([1]) the information provided is also free.