From the point of view of a person familiar with the culture, history and traditions of the inhabitants of the Apennines, the image of a united Italy is nothing more than a myth. In fact, it turns out that a rather confusing administrative division, a special geographical location and a diverse climate have created an amazing situation: within one country, at a distance of some hundreds of kilometers from each other, you can find not only completely different nature, but also absolutely different culture. Different regions of Italy differ not only in dialects and customs, but also in cuisine, which also does not fit into a single scheme and rules.
Repeating the alphabet
Two dozen regions of Italy - this is a list of names familiar to every traveler, which includes the insular Sicily and Calabria on the Ionian Sea, the modest Basilicata and the merchant Sardinia, the birthplace of the Neapolitan pizza Campania and the emerald green Marche. In Piedmont there are lakes, mountains and even rice plantations, and the inhabitants of Veneto are called the people of the sea, so much their life is subordinated to this pleasant and noisy neighborhood.
Each region of Italy is further divided into provinces, and those into communes, of which there are more than eight thousand in the country. Travelers do not have to wade through the thickets of the Apennine administrative-territorial system. The main thing is to know useful and interesting points on the map so that the trip is lively and interesting.
Roman surroundings
The capital of the country is located in Lazio. This region of Italy boasts the unique architectural monuments of Rome and the Circeo National Park, which preserves natural landscapes. And it will be a shame not to visit Lazio:
- In Cintavecchia, a city on the Tyrrhenian Sea called the port of Rome.
- In Frascati with its amazing white wine and the ancient ruins of Tuluskum.
- At the Tivoli villas, whose architectural excellence is still unrivaled.
- In the spa resort of Wellerty in the Albanian Hills.
Breathing spirits and mists …
… this is about Piedmont, where there are more than fifty national parks with amazing natural landscapes. In the mornings, the hillsides are covered with lilac fogs, and in the truffle season, a real quiet hunt begins here. In the town of Alba, the White Truffle Festival starts in mid-autumn, and Barolo wine can be enjoyed regardless of the season.
Familiar strangers
The name of each province in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna reminds the attentive traveler of things familiar from childhood. Parma makes excellent cheese, Modena - balsamic vinegar, and Bologna gave the world three irreplaceable things: waterproof raincoats, meat sauce for pasta and companion dogs for elderly citizens. And in Emilia-Romagna, it is customary to comfortably relax on the beaches of Rimini and choose Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati and Maserati cars, which are assembled at the local factories.
