Tag: climate

  1. VolcanoesOf course, not something that pops in your head while planning your trip to Italy. However, Italy is a very volcanically active country boasting 48 active, inactive and dormant volcanoes. Think Pompeii, they didn't care about volcanoes either. 2. EarthquakesAnother thing that you must take seriously when traveling to Italy. Earthquakes are frequent and often devastating. In the recent years, we have seen few cities raised to the ground by earthquakes. The cities of Amatrice and Norcia, for instance.3. Wine consumptionFor many of us Italy equals wine, true. Italy produces some of the finest wines in the world, true. But do Italians actually drink lots of wine? Well, according to the OIV (International Organization of Vine and Wine), year after year, Italy takes bronze. The top positions are usually disputed by Portugal and France.4. Birth rateWho would've thought that the country of love, emotions, and romance has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Out of 200 countries surveyed, Italy ranks at 192nd place.5. KitchensIn the country whose culture, history, and social life revolve around food, cooking, and culinary traditions, the kitchens are uncomfortably tiny. The kitchen is usually the smallest room in the house, especially in the apartments.6. Geography/NatureFor a country about the same size as the state of Arizona, Italy packs quite a punch.  From snowy Alpes and Dolomites in the north to valleys and plateaus in the center, active volcanoes in the south, spectacular coastline, and thousands of kilometers of magnificent sandy beaches, Italy has it all. In addition to that Italy is one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe with hundreds of thousands of animal and plant species.7. LanguagesThere are over 30 independent Romance languages spoken in Italy. Italian language itself is a descendant of the Tuscan dialect. The majority of