• The colours of the Italian flag represent different virtues; green for hope, white for faith and red for charity.
  • The pre-dinner passeggiata, or evening stroll, is one of Italy’s most enduring traditions – Italians families stroll about the streets to see and be seen.
  • The official name of Italy is the Italian Republic.
  • Vatican City, the city within a city in Rome and headquarters for the Catholic Church, is the only nation in the world that can lock its own gates at night. It also has its own phone company, TV and radio stations, money, stamps and army.
  • Football is Italy’s most popular sport and Italy has won the world cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006).
  • Italy is the only country in mainland Europe with active volcanoes (nine to be precise).
  • Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country in the world.
  • The modern version of pizza, probably the most famous Italian dish, was invented in Naples in the 1800s.
  • The other classic dish associated with Italy is pasta, which now comes in more than 500 varieties.
  • The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in 1173 and began to lean soon after due to a poorly laid foundation. After extensive engineering work in 2008, the tower should be stable for at least another 200 years.
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