| Map of the Barbados | | |  | What would it be like to wake in the heart of the Roman Empire, lunch in a sumptuous sixteenth century renaissance villa, and go to bed in the capital of 21st-century designer chic?
Visit Italy, taking in Rome, Florence and Milan, and the experience is yours, But that’s not all. Italy combines art history and contemporary fashion with stunning natural landscapes... | | | The turquoise waters of the Costa Smeralda offer one of Europe’s most beautiful stretches of sand, sea and sunshine, while the snow-covered slopes of the Dolomite mountains are a haven for winter sports enthusiasts. Besides the renowned cities of Venice, Genoa and Naples (each with its own unique identity – Italy was only unified in 1870), there are romantic Medieval hill towns, such as San Gimignano in Tuscany, and unspoilt fishing villages, like the unforgettable Positano on the Amalfi coast.
| | "Sunshine, wine and smart design" | Visit vineyards and cellars to taste the very best regional wines: the Veneto, famed for the sparkling white prosecco, and Tuscany, home of the highly acclaimed robust red, Brunello di Montalcino. And to really get away from it all, take a boat to the islands of Sicily or Sardinia to experience rural hospitality in the blissful Mediterranean. Italy: still so much more to discover.
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| Rome, the Winter Olympics, Wine, Ferrari, beautiful beaches – Italy has it all. If you are considering Italy, here are some things you should know.
From a European perspective, there is little doubt that Italy is the foundation of modern society in the West. This is conclusion is primarily due to two facts, the reign of the Romans and the Roman Catholic Church.
In more modern times, Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor Emmanuel II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito Mussolini established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II.
A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of the European Economic Community. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification.
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Italy Overview
