Italy is one of the most popular travel destinations on the planet. With a population of 61 million no country has given the world more cultural icons, including architecture, fashions, operas, paintings, sculptures, tenors, and food.

Italy has so much to see and do - the Lake District of the north, the historic and stylish cities of Milan, Verona and Venice, coastal areas of Sorrento and Lido de Jesolo, the rolling hills of Tuscany and of course Rome, the eternal city. Italy is famous for its cuisine, art, fashion and football - football is Italy’s most popular sport, they are the second most successful football team in the world behind Brazil with four World Cups.

Come to Italy for its olive oil, pasta, pizza, wine, and of course sunshine, and year-round great weather – in other words "la dolce vita" (the sweet life) – you won’t want to leave.

The climate in Italy is highly diverse but can be far from the usual Mediterranean climate, depending on location. The northern regions have a climate that would be described as being humid continental or temperate.

The coastal areas of Liguria and most of the peninsula south of Florence generally fit the Mediterranean label. The coastal regions have mild winters and usually dry summers, although lowland valleys can become very hot in the summer.

Train
The Italian rail system has different train types: TBiz, Eurostar Italia, Eurostar Italia AV, Eurostar City Italia, Intercity Plus, Intercity, Espresso, Interregional and Regionale. The Regionale is often used for suburban trains. The main difference between the train types is reliability. Intercity services are generally reliable, but if you need to get to the airport or somewhere important and are stuck for time then it is advisable to pay a little extra for the Eurostar Italia. On longer destinations, such as Milan - Rome or Milan - Reggio Calabria, Trenitalia operates special night trains Treni Notte. It is recommended that you book any train ticket in advance as buying a ticket can be a long and slow process. Make sure you validate your ticket before you board the train, by stamping it in one of the yellow boxes (marked Convalida).

Car
Italy has a well-developed system of highways in the northern side of the country while in the south it's a bit worse for quality. Most of the highways (autostrade) are toll roads. The superstrade are major national roads and are free. Many tourists have been fined about €100 for entering a ZTL which is, zona a traffico limitato, Limited Traffic Zone, unknowingly. The ZTLs are restricted areas in many Italian cities where vehicles are not permitted except for limited reasons between certain hours.

Plane
Flying from city to city in Italy is inexpensive and the fastest way to get around the country.

Bus
Italy is the same as France in that it doesn't have a national bus company. Buses are usually for local towns and cities. If you are travelling long distances then it is best to get the train. City buses are very cheap but you will always need a ticket before you board the bus but be warned that once you but your ticket it is only valid for about an hour so make sure you know where the bus stop is before purchasing the ticket. The good thing is you have unlimited use for that hour and make as many journeys as you like. You can purchase a ticket from most newsagents and tobacconists.