Italy - 意大利

Italy（Italian：Italia), the full name of the Republic of Italy, located in southern Europe. Together with Greece, it is considered the birthplace of Western culture. Undoubtedly, she has a lot of assets in UNESCO's World Heritage List. High-end art and memorial buildings can be seen all over the country. Her food, fashion clothes, luxury sports cars and motorcycles, different styles of regional culture and dialects are also well-known in the world. At the same time it has the well-known long and beautiful coast, alpine lakes and mountains (Alps and Apennines). No wonder her nickname is Il Bel Paese (Beautiful Country).

San MarinowithVaticanThese two independent small countries are completely surrounded by Italy. They are not strictly part of the European Union, but are part of the Schengen area and the European Monetary Union (EMU). Except for the difference in police uniforms, there is no obvious difference between the two countries and the Italian territory, and they use a unified currency. Italian is also the lingua franca of these two city-states.

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geography

Italy is a peninsula in the Mediterranean, bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia to the north. Boot-shaped Italy is surrounded by the Ligurian, Sardinian and Tyrrhenian Seas in the west, Sicily and the Ionian Sea in the south, and the Adriatic Sea in the east. Most people in Italy use Italian, the official language, but if you travel around the country, you will find very unique dialects in some areas. The country’s landscapes are diverse, but can be summarized as including the Alps and the Apennines that cross most of the country. Italy has two main islands: Sardinia on the west coast, and Sicily on the tip of the shoe in the south. Italy has a population of approximately 60 million and its capital is Rome.

history

prehistoric

There were humans living in the Italian peninsula at least 200,000 years ago. Before the Romans, the Etruscan civilization began in prehistoric times and lasted until the founding of Rome. The Etruscans flourished in what is now central and northern Italy, especially in what is now called northern Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. Rome was ruled by the Etruscans until the Romans ransacked the nearby Etruscan city of Viais in 396 BC. In the eighth and seventh centuries BC, Greek colonies were established in Sicily and southern Italy, so Etruscan culture was quickly influenced by Greece. This is fully reflected in some excellent Etruscan museums. The Etruscan cemetery is also well worth a visit.

Roman Empire

Ancient Rome was originally established as a small village in the 8th century BC. Over time, it developed into the world's most powerful empire, covering the entire Mediterranean Sea, including the northern coast of Africa, as far north as southern Scotland. The Roman Empire left a lasting influence on Western civilization, which is still visible in European culture today. The decline and fall of the Roman Empire began in the 2nd century AD, and in 285 AD, it was finally divided into two parts: the Western Roman Empire, whose capital was in Rome, and the Eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire, whose capital was Constantinople. The western region finally collapsed due to the invasion of the Goths, leaving only the Italian peninsula. Since then, Rome has entered the so-called dark period and wasSaracensLooted.

From independent city-state to unification

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Italian peninsula was broken up into many independent city-states, which lasted for a thousand years. In the 6th century AD, the Germanic tribe came from the north of Lombardy, which is the northern part of the present-day Lombardy region. They competed with other invaders such as Byzantines, Arabs, Muslims, and Saracens for rights, together with the Holy Roman Empire and the Holy See, which meant that unification of Italy was impossible. Although latecomers such as Caroling and Hohensdorfen (the German family that ruled the Holy Roman Empire (1138-1218 and 1215-1254)) managed to exert some control. To the south, the Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples were unified into the two Kingdoms of Sicily in 1442, establishing the capital of Naples. To the north, Italy is a collection of small independent city states and kingdoms, which lasted until the 19th century. The most influential city-state is the Republic of Venice, which is considered to be the most developed at the time. It witnessed the opening of the first public opera house in 1637, and for the first time allowed the general public to enjoy entertainment that was once exclusive to the nobility, thus enabling art to flourish. The people began to seek the strong who could bring order to the city, so dynasties like Medici developed in Florence. Then, these families became patrons of art, leading to the emergence of geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, which in turn made Italy the birthplace of the Renaissance. Rome and its surrounding areas became the Papal State, and the pope in Rome had religious and political authority in those areas.

Since 1494, Italy has experienced a series of aggressions from France and Spain. The north is dominated by Austria. In 1815, the Kingdom of Sardinia finally began the process of unifying Italy, which ended with the occupation of Rome in 1870. The Kingdom of Italy lasted from 1861 to 1946. Giuseppe Garibaldi tried to unify southern Italy, while the northern wanted to establish an Italian federation under his rule. The Northern Kingdom defeated the Austrians and established its capital in Turin. In 1866, Victor Emmanuel II managed to annex Venice. In 1870, shortly after France abandoned Rome, the capital of Italy moved there. The Pope has lost most of his influence, and his political power is now restricted to the Vatican City.

Republic of Italy

In 1946, King Umberto II was forced to abdicate and Italy became a republic. In the 1950s, Italy became a member of NATO and allied with the United States. The Marshall Plan helped revitalize the Italian economy, and the Italian people enjoyed a period of sustained economic growth until the 1960s. Some cities, such as Rome, have once again become popular tourist destinations, even appearing in American and Italian movies, such as "Roman Holiday" or "Sweet Life". In 1957, Italy became one of the founding members of the European Economic Community. However, from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, the country experienced an economic crisis. There is a persistent fear from inside and outside Italy (especially the United States) that the Communist Party, which often gets more than 20% of the vote, will one day form a government. So various despicable methods were concocted to prevent it from happening. Since 1992, Italy has been facing huge government debts and extensive corruption. The scandal involved all major parties, especially the Christian Democratic Party and the Socialist Party, which led to the eventual collapse of these two parties. The 1994 election put the media mogul Berlusconi into the seat of prime minister. He was defeated twice, but won again in the 2008 general election. The Pirelli Tower in Milan, built in the 1960s, is usually considered a symbol of New Italy, and post-war economic growth and reconstruction. Although it has been unified for more than 150 years, Italy still has significant divisions. The northern part of the country is more affluent and more industrialized, resulting in the fact that the north is helping the south, and many northerners resent this. The Northern Alliance party advocates expanding northern autonomy and reducing capital migration to the south. But the North and South have the same opinion on one thing, that is, they are unwilling to pay for the huge bureaucracy based in Rome.

climate

Italy’s climate is very diverse, and some are very different from the stereotypical Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry in most parts of Italy, with the highest temperature in July. The north is cold and humid in winter, while the south is warmer. On the other hand, the situation in the coastal areas of the peninsula is very different from the internal highlands and valleys. Especially in winter, high altitude areas tend to be cold, humid, and snowy. The Alps have a standard alpine climate, with cool summers and cold winters.

help

In case of emergency or inconvenience, the Italian Ministry of Tourism has introduced a multilingual call center to provide information and assistance to outsiders. "Easy Italia" (Easy Italia) works from 09:00 to 10:00, seven days a week. You can contact Easy Italy by dialing 39039039039 from a landline or mobile phone from anywhere in the world. If you are in Italy, you can also contact them via the toll-free number 800000039 via landline and public phones. The service can also be found on Skype (account: easyitalia), just fill out their online form.

area

city

There are hundreds of cities in Italy, the following are the nine most famous:

• Rome -Italy and the former capital of the Roman Empire
• Bologna -One of the most majestic university towns in the world, full of history, culture, technology and food
• Florence -This Renaissance city is famous for its architecture and art that had a major impact on the world
• Genoa -An important medieval maritime republic, its port brought tourism and trade, as well as art and architecture
• Milan -One of the major fashion cities in the world and the most important trade and business center in Italy
• Naples -One of the oldest cities in the West, with a historic city center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• pizza -A medieval maritime republic, there is no doubt that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located here
• Turin -A famous industrial city, Fiat and other automotive and aerospace industries. Le Corbusier defined Turin as "the city with the most beautiful natural location in the world"
• Venice -One of the most beautiful cities in Italy, famous for its history, art, and of course its famous canals

arrival

Italy is a member of the Schengen Agreement.

There are signs that there is no border control between the countries that signed and implemented the treaty-the European Union (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Similarly, a visa obtained in any Schengen agreement country is equally valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU member states have signed the Schengen Treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This means that it is possible to declare customs, but there is no immigration check (to go with a Schengen visa or travel from a non-EU country), or you need to undergo immigration checks, but no customs declaration (within the EU, but to travel to or from a non-Schengen country) ).

European airports are therefore divided into "Schengen" and "non-Schengen" corridors, which serve the functions of "domestic" and "international" elsewhere. If you are flying into a Schengen country from outside Europe and flying to another country, you will need to complete immigration and customs declarations in the first country, and then continue your journey without further inspection. There will be normal border checks when traveling between Schengen and non-Schengen member states. Please note that many airlines will still insist on checking your ID card or passport regardless of whether you are traveling within or outside the Schengen area.

Nationals of EU and European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) countries only need a valid ID or passport to enter-no visa is required regardless of the length of stay.

Empty road

The larger airports are served by major European airlines (Air France/KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways, Iberia, SAS, Finland, Switzerland, TAP, Australia).

Intercontinental routes mainly arrive at Rome and Milan, and Rome is the main international gateway into the country.

Most mid-range international flights arrive in the following Italian cities: Rome-There are two airports: Fiumicino (Fiumicino-Da Vinci) and Ciampino (CIA), which offers low-cost routes, Milan-There are two airports: Sa (MXP) and Linate (LIN); In addition, Bergamo (BGY-Orio al Serio Airport) is sometimes called "Milan Bergamo" Bologna (BLQ-Ancient Horse) Naples (NAP-Capodichino) Pisa (PSA-Galileo) Venice (VCE-Marco Polo); In addition, Treviso (TSF-Antonio Canova) is sometimes called "Venice" Turin (TRN-Sandro Pitini) Catania (CTA-Vincent Zobellini) Bari (BRI-Palaise) Genoa (GOA-Christopher Columbus)

go sightseeing

railway

It is generally worthwhile to take a train in Italy, because there are many trains and it is generally more reliable. The Italian rail transport market has recently opened up for competition. High-speed rail options include the "New Passenger Transport Company Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori" (private) and the "Italian National Railway Company" (state-owned). For other routes, the government is still the only player, with the Italian national railway company or regional operators monopolizing the local market. Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, the phone number is 060708. NTV’s "Italo" train created Italy's high-speed rail network in 2012. Since then, their expanded services are currently running between Rome, Milan, Turin, Venice, Florence, Naples and other major cities. Although they do not position themselves as a low-cost transportation company (focusing on providing better service), the prices of some routes and dates may be much lower than their competitors. Check and compare on the websites of NTV and the Italian National Railway Company, and you can find a relatively cheap and convenient route. The Italian national railway company, the telephone number is 892021. The Italian National Railway Company operates many types of train lines: high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca, Eurostar Italy), intercity, regional trains (Regionali, Regionali Veloci) and international trains (Eurocity, Euronight). High-speed trains are fast and comfortable. The speed can reach 360 kilometers per hour, and it only stops at the big station. They connect Rome, Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Naples and other cities. They are also currently the most expensive trains. In addition to the standard fare, there are additional fees, including booking fees. Regional trains are the slowest, the cheapest but not very reliable, stopping at all stations. Intercity trains are between high-speed and regional trains. They are generally reliable, but if you need to catch a plane, it is best to pay an extra fee and take the high-speed train.

Empty road

The emergence of low-cost airlines has made domestic air travel possible for almost everyone. If booked in advance, air tickets for long-distance travel are almost always cheaper than train tickets. In the domestic aviation market competition, the most prominent ones are Alitalia, Ryanair and EasyJet. Blue MRT and Meridiana Airlines followed suit, while other small companies came and went.

Land

The northern part of Italy has a well-developed highway system, while the southern part is relatively poor in quality and coverage. Each highway sign consists of a green sign with an A followed by a number. Most highways are tolls. Some toll stations allow you to walk the entire journey (especially Naples, Rome and Milan), but in general, most have entrance and exit toll stations. For these highways, you need to take a small ticket at the entrance, and calculate the distance covered by the small ticket at the exit. The toll depends on the highway and the length. A rough estimate is that the toll per kilometer is between € 0.06 and € 0.12. The entrance ticket must not be lost, otherwise the longest distance may be charged. The blue lane (marked "Viacard") in the toll booth is an automatic toll collection machine that can use credit cards and prepaid cards (called Viacard). Prepaid cards can be bought at highway gas stations or cigarette vendors in cities. If there is a problem with the machine you are using (for example, it cannot read your credit card), press the assistenza button and wait for the operator to help you. Be prepared to pay cash for machine failures that cannot be resolved. Don't move backwards to another lane, even if you might see other locals doing it. Unless the staff or the police clearly instruct you to do so, a U-turn at a toll booth is equivalent to a U-turn on the highway, and severe penalties will be imposed if caught.

Place of interest

• Colosseum
• Pompeii ruins
• Milan cathedral
• Florence
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Venice Water City

Language

Of course, Italian is the mother tongue of most Italians. Italian is similar to Spanish, so if you speak Spanish, it is generally difficult for the locals to stump you, and you will also find that Italian is easy to learn.

In each region of Italy, in addition to Italian (not a native language in some regions), a unique Roman language is also used. The spoken language in Rome or Milan today is mainly Italian with some local characteristics. In the countryside, although people are usually bilingual, they still use the local language. Although Italians call local languages ​​"dialects", they are actually different languages. Like in China, some dialects are not only different in pronunciation, but also in writing.

To remote places, it is useful to bring a good phrase gathering; in most large cities, many people can understand English, Spanish or French. Even so, when you try to communicate in Italian or the local language, the locals will be happy, and even if you make mistakes, they will still try to understand you. If you want the other party to correct your mistakes to help you learn the language better, don't forget to ask before starting the conversation. Because some Italians will not correct you out of politeness. They also appreciate your efforts to speak their language, and even if you don't speak their language well, they won't be too careless.

In tourist areas, many shopkeepers and tourism practitioners can speak English to varying degrees. In cities, you can usually speak English with people under the age of 40, because almost everyone has taken English classes (two hours per week) since the 1980s, and English is widely used in academic fields, such as researchers and university students. lecturer. However, due to the lack of opportunities to use it, the general Italian population is very poor, most people only remember some basic words and phrases, and only a few people are proficient in it. Older people rarely understand English, but they will try to help you even with gestures or similar words, and they always think you know Italian. If you plan to speak English, make sure to start the conversation in Italian and ask if the person understands English. Because speaking a foreign language in Italy, assuming that the other person understands it, is a very arrogant and impolite behavior considered by many Italians.

Safety

Dial 113

healthy

The overall physique of the people is relatively strong.

manner

Most Italians behave politely and are a polite and civilized country.

communication

Anyone can maintain normal communication in Italy.