Italy occupies not only the Apennine Peninsula, but also islands in the adjacent seas. This country owns the large islands of Sicily, Elba, Sardinia, as well as a number of small islets. Numerous small islands of Italy (there are about 700 in total) form archipelagos. More than 80 of the most beautiful land areas are located within the Italian borders. They all have differences in climate, nature and culture.
Features of the islands
Italy owns the usual sea islands (Ischia, Elba, Pantelleria, etc.), island-regions (Sardinia, Sicily), lakes and sunken land areas.
The largest and most beautiful island is Sicily. There are excellent beaches, ancient castles, olive groves, cliffs and mountains. Vulcano, where an active volcano is located, belongs to the territory of Sicily.
The second largest Italian island in the Mediterranean is Sardinia. It is located 12 km from the island of Corsica (France) and 200 km from the western coast of Italy. This region has gained popularity for its interesting sights and clean nature. In Sardinia, there is the famous Nuraghe Valley, where ancient stone structures have been preserved. Mount Ortobene is located on this island, on top of which a statue of Christ the Redeemer was erected.
Next to Sardinia is the La Maddalena archipelago. It includes such islands as Budelli, Santa Maria, Santo Stefano, La Maddalena and others. The archipelago is formed by cliffs, rocks, reefs, islets and bays.
To the west of the province of Tuscany are the islands of Gorgona, Elba, Montecristo and others. They form the picturesque Tuscan archipelago. Some of the islands are of volcanic origin. The most significant island in the Tuscan archipelago is Elba. The island became world famous thanks to the emperor Napoleon, who was exiled there.
Ischia is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, where balneological and thermal resorts operate.
Climatic conditions
Insular Italy is located in the Mediterranean climate zone. The islands remain clear and sunny almost all year round. In summer, the resorts are dry and hot. In winter, the average air temperature is +10 degrees. Snow is very rare, with the exception of the Alps. The southern islands of the country are exposed to hot and dry winds from the Sahara. On these days, the air temperature in some areas reaches +35 degrees. In coastal areas in summer, the sea water temperature is +27 degrees. In Sicily, the temperature difference between the center of the island and the coast is palpable. It rarely rains here. In summer, thermal winds occur on the islands, arising from the simultaneous action of sea and coastal winds.
