Italy: The Land of Art and Pizza

Written by: Natalie Yao

Geography and Nature

Located in Southern Europe, Italy is a main peninsula with many tinier islands. In fact, Italy has a total of 450 islands! Some of the country’s neighboring countries are France, Monaco, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, all to the northern border of Italy and near the Alps. Since the country is a peninsula, there are many surrounding bodies of water, including the Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The entire country is separated into 20 regions and each of them have developed their own unique culture because they are separated by the Apennines mountains. Many rivers also start from these mountains and run through the country, for example the Po, Arno, Tiber Rivers. Additionally, southern Italy also has volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna. Some major cities are its capital Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, and Bologna. 

Much of the wild animals on the peninsula live in the mountains, but there are also nature reserves on the Alps and Apennines such as the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Cinque Terre National Park. There, people are able to see beautiful animals like brown bears, lynx, and ibex. Additionally, some wolves hunt and live in the more remote regions.

People and Culture

Italy is known to have one of the oldest cultures in Europe, so with it comes vibrant music and architecture. However, the country is most famous for its sculptures and paintings. Artists who lived centuries ago are a large part of the growth of Italian culture, some of them being Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Filippo Brunelleschi. The Italian language was also very influential in music, with their operas and written words becoming common in most European musical compositions. Some of the composers that made Italian music popular were Antonio Vivaldi, who wrote the Four Seasons, and Gioachino Rossini. 

Italian cuisine is also very popular today, with dishes unique to each region of Italy and their ingredients. In general, Italian food uses fresh and simple produce as well as olive oil. Italians prioritize seasonal fruits and vegetables in their food, in addition to the way that they are grown on local farms. 

Some dishes include:

• Cacio e Pepe - pasta with sauce made from pecorino romano cheese and black pepper, originating in Rome

• Osso Buco - veal braised in vegetables, white wine, and broth from Milan

• Pizza Margherita - a Neapolitan Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil

• Cannoli - a fried shell filled with sweet ricotta cheese, from Sicily

National Symbols

• National Anthem: Fratelli d’Italia 

• National Flower: the Lily

• National Animal: Italian Wolf

• National Colors: Red, Green, and White