Italy tops the bucket list of many travelers around the world.
It offers some of the world’s most extraordinary art, scenery, architecture, and food.
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From soaring mountains and ancient cities to traditional pizza and fine wine, you could explore this captivating country for years and still not uncover everything about it. Here we have dug up nine fun and interesting facts about Italy to get you started.
9 Fun and Interesting Facts About Italy
Fact 1: Free Wine Fountain
A free wine fountain sounds no less than wishful dreaming, but it is a genuine thing in the small Italian town, Caldari di Ortona. This tiny town has a free locally grown red wine fountain known as Fontana Di Vino that keeps flowing twenty-four hours a day. The fountain can be located in Dora Sarchese vineyard.
Fact 2: Hotspot for Volcanic Activity
Most people know that Italy is a smoking hot country, but seldom anyone knows that it is a hotspot for volcanic activity. Etna, Stromboli, and Vesuvius; the three active volcanoes of Europe are in Italy. The notorious Mount Vesuvius is situated in Naples, whereas Mount Etna is on the island of Sicily, and Mount Stromboli is located on its own island near Sicily. The ancient city of Pompeii is an excellent place for travelers to witness the destruction caused by these volcanos.
Fact 3: Cat Rights
Cats are revered by the Romans to the extent that they’re pigeonholed as bio-cultural heritage. Due to this reason, if anyone kills a cat whether a pet or a stray, they can invite a fine of €10,000 or even face imprisonment of three years. Rome homes around 300,000 cats and they’re the only resident allowed to tour ancient ruins freely at their pleasure.
Fact 4: Most UNESCO World Heritage Sites
One most interesting fact about Italy is that it is overflowing with historical treasures. Italy is home to fifty-five UNESCO world heritage sites as of 2019 and face a tie with China as the country with the greatest number of UNESCO sites in the world. With gems like the glorious Amalfi Coast, the city of Pompeii and the Colosseum in Rome, it is no surprise why this country receives millions of tourists each year.
Fact 5: Pizza Is an Italian Invention
In 1860, the first modern pizza with a tomato base was made in Naples’s Campania district. Since then, it has taken the entire planet in its cheesy fold and has become one of the most favorite food of countless people. Though the humble pizza has come across several changes over time, the world’s most delectable pizza can still be found today in Naples.
Fact 6: Find Worlds Tiniest Country Inside Italy
One of the fun facts about Italy is that there is another entire country inside it! The Vatican City, spread over just forty-four hectares, is roughly one-eighth the size of New York’s Central Park, making it the smallest country in the world. The tiny city-state is situated within Rome and filled with some of the world’s most celebrated monuments. Each day thousands of tourists stream into the Vatican City to witness historic sites like Sistine Chapel and St Peters Cathedral, painted by Michelangelo in 1512.
Fact 7: Youngest and Oldest Country
One of the other interesting facts about Italy is that it is one of Europe’s youngest countries, but it’s capital, Rome is ancient and with the age of 2000 years. The city originated in 753 BC and holds history dating back to twenty-eight centuries.
Fact 8: Land of Young Cattle
Nobody really knows how and where Italy got its name. The word Italy originated from a root word that means ‘land of young cattle.’ Some historians believe that it got this name because a bull was the emblem of early Southern Italian tribes. In contrast, others believe that it emerges from the name of Italus, an ancient king of the region.
Fact 9: Over 2500 Kinds of Cheese
One of the most delicious and fun facts about Italy is that they have the greatest variety of cheeses in the entire world. It is one of Italy’s most paramount gift to the world, with over 2500 kinds of traditional cheeses. Mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, gorgonzola and provolone are some of the most popular.
Whatever facts about Italy you’ve read here are merely a tiny glimpse of what this country has to offer to the rest of the world. It provides endless interest and depth and is an excellent place to enjoy skiing in the winters or have fun at the beach in summer and witness extraordinary art, architecture and historical sites.
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