Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. .Italy has been the home of many European cultures, such as the Etruscans and the Romans, and later was the birthplace of the movement of the Renaissance, that began in Tuscany and spread all over Europe. Italy's capital Rome was for centuries the center of Western civilization; it also spawned the Baroque movement and seats the Catholic Church. Italy possessed a colonial empire from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Today, Italy is a democratic republic and a developed country with the 8th-highest Quality-of-life index, rating in the world.

Galleria Regionale - Palermo's largest art museum, devoted to medieval works, is housed in the Gothic Palazzo Abbatellis, built in 1488. The collection includes several particularly interesting works. The Bust of Eleanor of Aragon by Francesco Laurana, for example, dates from 1471 and is considered to be the epitome of Renaissance Sicilian sculpture, while the beautiful masterpiece painting Our Lady of the Annunciation is considered Antonello da Messina's greatest work. Also renowned is the chilling Triumph of Death fresco by an unknown 15th-century artist that covers an entire wall.Capitoline Hill - Capitoline Hill was the original capitol of the ancient city and continues to serve as the seat of the city's government. The main feature of the area is Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio, a testimony to the superiority of Renaissance town planning. The piazza is bordered by three palaces: the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the twin structures of the Palazzo dei Senatori and Palazzo Nuovo which house the Musei Capitolini, containing the largest collection of classical statues in the world. Among the notable statues found here are the Dying Gaul and the Satyr, the Capitoline Wolf with Romulus and Remus and the Spinario.Trevi Fountain - The tiny Piazza di Trevi has been immortalized through this fountain built for Pope Clement XII. The statues adorning this watery display represent Abundance, Agrippa, Salubrity, the Virgin and Neptune guided by two tritons. Tossing a coin into the fountain is supposed to guarantee a return trip to Rome.Sante Croce - This magnificent Gothic church built in 1294 contains the tombs of many celebrated Florentines such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Ghiberti and Machiavelli. The Gothic interior is graced by the radiant frescoes of Grottos and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi and integrated into the cloister next to the church is Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel (Cappella de' Pazzi). When Lord Byron first laid eyes on the church he declared himself 'drunk with beauty'.

Many Italian products, especially clothes, shoes and bags, are world-famous for their style and quality. Florence, Milan and Rome are famous as important fashion centers. Some places are known for particular products, eg Carrara (Tuscany) for marble. In several parts of Sardinia writing paper made of cork is produced. Cremona (Lombardy) is famous for its handmade violins. Valenza (Piedmont) has a large number of goldsmiths, and Sulmona (Abruzzo) produces ‘confetti’, sugar-coated almonds used all over Italy for wedding celebrations. Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna) is famous for mosaics and Volterra (Tuscany) for alabaster goods.

Pasta and pizza plays a substantial part in Italian recipes, but there are many regional specialties. Tuscany, for example, is noted for its bean dishes; the Po Valley for its rich risottos. Cheeses include mozzarella, pecorino (hard, sheep’s cheese) and gorgonzola. Italian liqueurs include Amaretto, Limoncello, Grappa and Strega. Nightclubs, restaurants and bars with dancing can be found in most major towns and tourist resorts.

Italy has a largely temperate climate with regional variations. In summer the Northern parts of Italy are warm with occasional rainfall, the central region is somewhat stifled by humidity and the south scorches under the dry heat. In winter, conditions in Milan, Turin and Venice are dominated by cold, damp and fog and Tuscany's winter temperatures approach freezing, while temperatures in the south of the country are more favorable averaging 50-60°F (10-20°C). Most people visit Italy between June and August; however the best time to visit is in spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) when the weather is good and the tourists are few. The ski season runs between December and April and the best time to walk in the Alps is between June and September.