ITALY - World Cup Football champions 2006.

It is an art lover's paradise and the works of beauty can be seen in its many museums and art galleries, ranging from the art of the Roman Empire to the masterpieces of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.Rome the capital city (known as the eternal city) has always been inspiring for travelers. (Below Rome)

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Right & below: The vatican

There are many more beautiful cities to be seen - Florence, Naples, Milan, Siena, Genoa, Pisa and Venice -the queen of the Adriatic.

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Above left Pisa - Right Venice

Italy offers fine beaches bordering on to the Adriatic, Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian sea. The mountains of the Appenine range forming the backbone of the country and the Alps to the north (for winter sports). It also has a lake district (Como, Maggiore and Garda) and the pleasant scenery of the olive groves and the river valleys.

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SICILY is the largest island in the Mediterranean basin. Around it lies a number of smaller islands: to the north the Aeolian islands and Ustica, to the West the Egadi, and to the south the Pelagie islands and Pantelleria, making a total surface area of 25.708 sq. km. Sicily boasts around 1.000 Km of coastline, mostly rocky in the north and sandy in the south.

The landscape is varied, prevalently mountains and hilly, but with an expanse of plains around Catania. In the eastern part of the island Mount Etna (about 3.330 m) is Sicily's highest mountain, the whole of which is a protected area within a national park. Still active, it is the biggest volcano in Europe. Along the north coast, from east to west, lies a stretch of the Peloritani and the Nebrodi and Madonie Mountains, some of their peaks reaching 2,000 m. The Capital City is Palermo.

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SARDINIA is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. It is located south of Corsica and separated from Corsica by the Strait of Bonifacio. The landscape is very similar to that of Corsica - mountainous. The principal towns are Calgari, Sassari and Olbie. The temperature is very similar to that in Italy and Corsica - good all year round Mediterranean climate.

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Currency: Euro - (€)

Electricity Voltage: 230V European 2 prong round plug.

Telephone Country Code: + 39

Emergency Telephone number: pan-EU Emergency 112 Can be used in all EU Countries and it can be dialled from a locked mobile or a mobile with no sim card.

Population 2006: 58,1034,033 Land Area: 301,230 Km2

General Driving Tips (information supplied by Holiday Autos)

Driving: Drive on the RIGHT

Speed limits :Built-up-areas: 31mph (50kmh), outside built-up areas on secondary roads: 55mph (90kmh), main roads 68mph (110kmh), motorways: 80mph (130kmh).

Drink and driving: Blood alcohol limit is 80 mg.

Drink Drive laws in Italy Update. Italy Magazine's March 2009 edition reports that the new Codice della Strada (The Highway Code) has stated that if you drink more than three glasses of wine or more than one brandy you will not pass Police alcohol tests. Apart from having the driving license suspended up to a year, the vehicle can also be confiscated and sold by the state.

A reflective vest is also complusory (like in France, Belgium and Spain).

Take care in city city centres like Florence and Rome. There are now charges for non authorised vehicles - similar idea to London congestion charge and because of inter-European co-operation the fines can be sent to the owners home, so foreign registrations will not help.

It is compulsory to use vehicle lights half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.

On three-lane roads, the middle lane is reserved for overtaking.

No full beam lights allowed in built-up areas.

Buying a property in Italy? Click here for our Factfile

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