More older history than you can shake a stick at! Visit the cities of Rome and Venice for history! OR go to Milan for Fashion. Or go to the Italian Rivera for some relaxing! Anywhere you go you will find good people and amazing food!

Oh, What is not to love about Italy...the food, the music, the culture, the men....Italy is my Shangri-La!!!

Italy is a country filled with tremendous history, culture and excitement. Everyone should go at least once in their life. The combination of present day buildings with structures like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain is just amazing. Italian food is spectacular, as is the wine. Not knowing Italian shouldn't be a concern, because most people in Italy speak English to you, even if you are trying to speak Italian to them, which can get a little frustrating at times. You could spend days enjoying the breathtaking scenery. GO!!!

Italy are the best 

The country is great, especially the savoir vivre. However, it is a country of two halves and the south is markedly different to the north. As you travel further and further south, you notice more and more beggars and gypsies, who are in turn more and more persistant, bordering on unpleasant. While the north is relatively clean in comparison to Switzerland, France and Austria accross the border, the south is polluted and filthy, while the traffic is choking. Sure, there are lots of interesting hostorical sites in the south, but they are marred by over exploitation and pollution.

Let me tell you about the most fantastic accommodation my girlfriends and I experienced in Italy! We were fortunate enough to be able to rent Villa gli Archi in Val dOrcia through yourTuscany.com. The villa is equipped with all the comforts of a modern home while still keeping its charming and rustic flavour. Comforts range from air conditioning to a heated swimming pool (perfect at night) and air conditioning in all the rooms. to a beautiful stone fireplace, should you be interested in visiting during the winter months. Our visit started on July 7 and finished July 14. I did not want to leave. We had a great time visiting the little town of Montepulciano and Montalcino, however, a car is needed if you intend on leaving the villa (which I strongly recommend in order to enjoy the breathtaking sceneries). The need for a car was the only downfall of our trip, however, the beautiful towns are just a short drive away. We made arrangements for a taxi to pick us up daily to take us into the small towns. The town of Chiusi also has a train station should you need to reach any other main city. We took a train and spent a weekend in Firenze, Italy; it was 10 of us girls. We had a GREAT time.
I would also like to thank the people at yourTuscany.com for the excellent customer service they provided and their high professionalism.

I have lived in Rome and have been back many times.  I loved more or less all of it except the bureaucracy.  Even for something as simple as changing money in a bank there are so many procedures and a long wait involved (unless this has all been simplified since I was last there 10 or so years ago).  Thank God for Thomas Cook!  The food and drink are the best. Italians don't believe in serving up tasteless rubbish. The scenery, both in towns and in the countryside, is beautiful.

the best country in de world!!!!

wtf italy forever

Pasta has to be a big thing in Italy. That is something i have to refrain from in my daily diet!

Speaking as someone of Italian extraction, let me first say it's not a good idea to discuss Italy as if it's one homogenous entity. When you get down to grass roots there's as much cultural, political, economic and linguistic diversity as there was before the unification back in the 19th century. Travel about Italy and you'll see big difference in not only the dialects and the cuisine but also in the way people look. On the plus side there are the beautiful towns and cities, much fantastic scenery and diversity in geography, great food and wine, impressive history and culture, many very beautiful young women, a lively people, great skiing to be had etc etc. BUT, on the downside, many Italians seem to take what they've got for granted and also they're generally quite materialistic and superficial. This is reflected in a lack of care for their environment. You'll see a lot of rubbish along the roadside, including broken fridges. When you head towards the South, the landscape gets more arid, the humidity gets higher and the comparative lack of wealth (relative to the North) gets more noticeable. Widepread corruption at local authority level and the infiltration of the La Comorra and the 'Ndrangeta means you'll see many roads that end up going nowehere because the money ran out. Italy's the home of my parents but I'm not going to act all dewy eyed and romantic. I love the place but at the same time I've got no illusions.

Awesome. Venice, Rome, Lake Regions, Tuscany, Florence. Wow. I've only been once but was able to visit all of those locations comfortably in a week and a half. If you can only visit one European country, I'd put Italy at the top of the list.

In every sense, a country with all possible attributes for which everything is irresistible, food, sights (la Toscana), history, art, people, etc.

Denver Jussan, modern day pizza is from Italy moron. Naples to be exact.

I would never pass up the opportunity to go to Italy. I would live there no problem. Venice is the most fascinating city in the world. And they got the Pope! How cool is that?

Lots of culture but when it comes to a fight they usually back who ever is winning at the time. Country is based on its histroy who the current inhabitents have little connection to.

Nicest food in the world Weathers not too hot not too cold and the people of the country were against the war (too bad berlosconi wasnt)

Rome, Venice, Florence, pizza, pasta and Italian girls. What can you ask more?

On my list of places I must visit before I die. Italy is filled with so much culture and heritage, I would love just see some of the artistic work and ride in a gondola.

This country is a masterpiece designed by God.

real bad

Italy is a great country to visit, with delicious food, wonderful sights, loads of culture and friendly, sociable people. I live in Italy, though, and I must say it is not that great to live here. The services are usually bad and the country itself(especially down south)is starting to fall to pieces. Still, Italy remains a very romantic and fun place to visit, with many things to offer.

Italy is the most romantic place on earth.Perfect for a honeymoon.The climate is gorgeous,the people are warm and friendly,and boy,do they know how to party!Of course,the food and wine are superb-be ready to put on a few pounds!However,there is so much to see,Historically,and otherwise,that maybe you'll walk off the weight gain after all.

One of the most ruggedly beautiful and colourful places in the world. Elegant people, outdoors lifestyle, fashion, glitz, gorgeous views. People are slim, sexy, speak a lovely language and have a great sense of history related to the present. Their artistry, sense of colour, style and design are unsurpassed anywhere in the world. I would advise anyone to see Lake Garda - it is visually stunning.

TO SHUKHEVICH AND THE OTHERS: ITALY WAS ADMITTED LIKE WINNER AT THE PEACE TABLE AFTER THE 1ST WORLD WAR! BEFORE SPEAKING STUDY HISTORY. ANYWAY HYSTORY IS NOT ONLY THE 2 WORLD WARS! THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS ERECTED THANKS TO ITALIAN PEOPLE. IF YOU WANT I WILL QUOTE SOME ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WOLRD CULTURE. IT IS TYPICAL AMERICAN CONSIDERING THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD EMPHASIZING THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS. WHO CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER? GENGIS KHAN OR SHAKESPEARE? BONAPARTE (OF ITALIAN ORIGIN) OR MICHELANGELO?

One of the greatest countries ever. As for the military history, check this site out. www.comandosupremo.com

not much.really.

Some people have been unfair on Italy. They dislike it cos of the past military history in the WW1 and 2. Italy is an old country..and its people always developed their pros and cons like everywhere... Plus not every italian is the same, like anywhere else people are all different and have different opinion both politically and on other aspects. so dont be unfair ! Judge using your brain Italy has got wonderful food, just think about pizza you eat...well italians invented it. Da vinci, Botticelli, Raffaello, Michelangelo, they are all italian and many more... plus the land... think about the wonderful mountains and historical places...

Italy is a beautiful country, with some of the best food, art and architecture on the planet. For a visitor it is a 5-star country, without rival. It's not as fun to live there as you might think though. A major reason for this is Silvio Berlusconi, the most powerful (and corrupt) man in Italy. Not only is he the prime minister; he also own 3 of the 4 main TV stations (controling the fourth indirectly too!) newspapers, magazines, a publishing company, a major football/soccer team, construction companies, etc., etc.. Since he controls the media and the government, his word is law, and though a democracy in name Italy is really being run as an 'elective dictatorship'. Italy has had some lousy leaders in its time, but Berlusconi is arguably the worse since Mussolini; he is driving the country into the ground. Italy's other major problem is the birthrate-other European countries have low birth rates, but of the big countries Italy's is by far the lowest, despite the fact that everyone is 'Catholic'. A few years from now this is going to cause very serious problems; combine this with Berlusconi's mess, and Italy looks like the one European country that could really fall to pieces in the next ten years. Italy's military history is pretty much irrelevant nowdays, and the Mafia isn't a major problem anymore, but there is still a dark side to Italy's beauty.

History, history history! Any History buff needs to go to Italy! It is such a wonderful treat to submerge yourself in Italy! From the churches, to the high fashion, to coliseum, there is something for everyone in this amazing country! Absolutely beautiful scenery. You must go at least once in your lifetime! And the food? Absolutely exquisite!

The home of my mother and the country that has contributed the most to global culture; the engineering genius of the Romans, the scientific genius of Leonardo, Alessandro Volta etc, the Renaissance, music of Puccini, Verdi, Vivaldi etc. Tastiest cuisine on the planet. Classic architecture in beautiful towns and cities. Great wines such as Barbera, Chianti. The most glamorous football league in the world. Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini and Moto Guzzi. Valentino, Gucci, Prada etc. Beautiful scenery from the Aosta valley down to the Amalfi coastline, Capri and Sardinia. My only beef is that I wish Italians back in Italy appreciated all this more and didn't leave old fridges etc by the roadside and throw up dodgy buildings all over the place. Politically incorrect or not but I will say this. Sit down outside any cafe in Rome, Verona, Turin , wherever and you can get a crick in the neck from gazing around at the huge numbers of elegant and gorgeous women.

I have been all over Italy many times and I would encourage everyone to go. In particular, you should explore Calabria. It is so rarely seen because few tour companies go there, but absolutely beautiful. The beaches around Vibo Valentia are blue-green and warm, the pace is slow and peaceful, and the fruit is fabulous. Buona fortuna and enjoy!

Italy is unbeatable (although it has plenty of faults, as does every country, but its faults are far outweighed by its positive points). My comments are based on living a total of about nine years in Italy, at various times, the earliest being in 1947 and the most recent being in 1996. There's plenty to write about Italy (I'll try to use a format that I hope to follow in reviews of other countries I've been to as well. Sights, tourist attractions, and cultural attractions abound. Too many to list, but run the gamut from the Colosseum in Rome to the Blue Grotto in Capri. One reviewer mentioned that monuments in Italy are in ruins - but what magnificent ruins they are, linked to the history of Western civilization. Food: Arguably the best in the world; forms the basis of vaunted French cuisine (but the French won't say much about that). A really varied regional cuisine, with everything from fish to pasta to veal. Italian food in Italy bears little resemblance to the junk that passes as Italian food here in the US. Ice creams are the best I've ever tasted (except once in Budapest, but even that tasted like Italian ice cream). Wines are top-notch, much better than the swill that the French (who, incidentally, import Italian wine, add a percentage of crummy tasting French brew, thereby spoiling the Italian wine,then pass it off legally as French - it's a fact, but not readily admitted by the French). The people generally are friendly (more so in the south than in the north), are great hosts, and (despite stereotypes to the contrary), very industrious. I would not call the people who design, engineer, and build Ferraris and Lamborghinis backward. With respect to Axlrod2003's dopey remarks (the average Italian is more literate than he is), we should be glad that Italy sent as many immigrants to this country as it did, including Stallone's relatives. Prices: Generally too high, and getting higher all the time. Language: Most Italians in service industries speak English (American English, at that) tolerably well, at least in large cities. However, the Italians generally don't make learning English a priority, so it sometimes can be difficult to communicate if you don't speak Italian yourself. Try using French (the Italians aren't too proud to speak it; don't think the reverse is true). Hotels: Usually not up to US standards; air conditioning not very good, rooms are cavernous most of the time, beds not that comfortable, and usually plenty of outside noise. A comment on Shukhevych's comment re the Italian military: The Italian military was much amligned during and immediately after the war, but there are more and more books coming out that treat military performance in a more objective manner. Not the greatest military record in the world, to be sure, but then again (here comes my inevitable comparison to the French), who lasted longer during WW II, the Italians or the French, who cave in after about 6 weeks? That's about it for this review, except to say Viva l'Italia!

italy is a beautiful country with great scenery, hotels, museums and painting, there is so much to see and do and it is truly a magical place.I gave it a five for that, and that my grandparents are from there.

prefer greek islands instead

God do I love Italian food.

Although I've never been there personally, I've seen many pictures and find Italy to be a gorgeous country. It has a little bit of everything -- cities, shopping, fashion. . .and on the other side of the coin, farms, mountains, seascapes. It also has a rich history and wonderful, warm people. I hate when people associate Italy and Italians with the Mafia -- there are some beautiful, caring individuals that come out of Italy. Besides, one of the provinces was named after my ancestors, so I have to love Italia!!!!

I went to Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, the Alps(were my parents are from) and other places. Great architecture, great art, beutiful mountains. The people I found friendly, sociable, they respect you and more intellegent than my own country.

a great country!

i just dont like the country!!! thats it

Axlrod2003's astounding ignorance aside (what's "geasy" you illiterate moron), Italy and the Italian people constitute one of the most fascinating and accomplished civilizations in the history of mankind. A trip to Italy only gives the astute visitor a glimpse into a culture stemming back to ancient Rome and the Renaissance. To stand in Italy is to stand at the foot of one of the pillars of modern humankind.

GOD created one country which acted like a world on its own. I'm amaze how many things to see. Beautiful architecture, Beautiful people and Beautiful fashion makes this the number one destination place in the world to visit without bias. Food, drinks are simply best. My best vacation and only one I could think that rivals it would have to be Hawaii. I visited Roma and Vatican, Palermo(Sicily), Pompeii, Naples, Isle Capri, Milan, Verona, Venice, Rimini, Riccionne, Florence, and Pisa. I thank Italian People for helping our stay as best I could expect a vacation trip to be. I LOVE ITALIA!!!!!

embarassing military history..

It's a beautiful country with an amazing amount of history and culture. Great food. Great weather. What's not to like? As a country, Italy is a great destination... but see the country, don't just stick to Rome and Venice.

I've never been to Italy, but it is a country that I would really love to visit some day. My mother's family is Italian. I'd love to see all the culture and scenery and eat some fine Italian food.

No wonder it's ranked #1 here!Whenever i get fed up with weeks of lousy winter weather here,i determine we're(my wife doesn't disagree,i should add!)going to sell up and move to Italy.The sun,the blue mediterranean sea,Sorrento and the Isle of Capri,the magnificent cities,Venice,Florence,Rome,the warmth of the people,the rolling Tuscan hills,the Alps,the Dolomites,the lovely lakes-looking across the Borromean islands from elegant Stresa on Lake Maggiore on a clear day really is like being in Paradise-the renaissance art,the history,the architecture,the romance,the singing(especially appealing to us Welsh,only they do it joyously in the sun!).Pavarotti arias while you overlook the bay of Naples.What more could you want?

Robberies on highways. Pollution corroding the artistic and historic treasures that have given this grand nation its rightful place in world history. Centuries of north-vs.-south cultural conflict. Mussolini. A maddening tendency to dissolve its government every three days. Nope. Can't give this country higher than a 1.

It is the country of my ancestors. The greatest food in the world. Italians are really great people, especially elderly women. It's history is so rich and has some of the best architecture in the world. Some of the most influential people of the world have been from Italy: Michaelangelo, Julius Ceasar, Christopher Columbus (Cristophoro Columbo), da Vinci, the list goes on and on. Italian Americans have made great contributions to this country.

I went to Italy for the first time a couple of weeks ago (in early October), and I had a fantastic time. I visited Venice, Florence, and Rome over 10 days, which was just the right length of time. The summer crowds were gone, and the weather was excellent. I was absolutely blown away by the artwork and sense of history everywhere I went. It was overwhelming! The food and wine were wonderful, just as you'd expect, and the shopping was great. Highlights of the trip included wandering the streets of Venice, climbing the stairs to the top of the Duomo in Florence, and seeing the Roman Forum. Having lunch in the dining car on the train rides from Venice to Florence and Florence to Rome was a lot of fun, too. I hope to return to Italy several times to check out the rest of the country. There's so much to see!

Italy is a very fun and interesting country to visit. The people are very warm and caring. The food is great and the attractions are beautiful. All of the cities in this country are vibrant and full of history. Rome is one of the best cities in the world. The Colosseum is simply breathtaking, albeit the pollution is eating up the walls of the place. Vatican City is simply fasicinating. The Sistene Chapel is a masterpiece. Rome is one of those cities you could get lost in. If you are going to Italy, go to the Sorrento/Capri area about 100 miles south of Rome. The scenery is beautiful and the Island of Capri is one of the most beautiful in the world. You will never see water that is more bluer than it is there. Also visit the ruins of Pompeii while you are in the area. The history is very interesting and you'll get a glimpse as to how they lived back in the first century A.D. Now to the North, you have to visit Tuscany and Florence; that part of the country is what Italy is. The Hill towns are fasciating and very quant. Venice is one of a kind. The rivers are slightly polluted, but the city has an ambiance of its own; going down the Grand Canal is a great experience, the city looks like a crown from the distance. This country has so much to offer, visit Italy if you can when in Europe.