Italy, the heart of tourism in Europe.
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Description
Italy, the heart of tourism in Europe.
Grottoes and underwater caves, marine reserves, shipwrecks and dives in freshwater lakes — if you are looking for new experiences and are in love with the underwater world.
Tours of museums and galleries, first-class guides and new facts about the Renaissance — if history and art excite you.
Gastronomic euphoria for lovers of pasta, pizza, wine and cheeses of all kinds. Culinary tours, tastings and fairs — if you are a connoisseur of delicious and high-quality cuisine.
Brand boutiques and outlets, markets and the famous Via Monte Napoleone in Milan — if your religion is Vogue, and God is Giorgio Armani.
5 facts about Italy: what you need to know about the most passionate country
- Locals drink coffee at the bar — service at the table is 2-3 times more expensive. If you order just “coffee”, you will be served an espresso. Cappuccinos are usually ordered before noon. These are the unspoken rules of the locals. However, Italians are already used to foreigners ordering cappuccinos in the evening…
- Tobacco shops in Italy are multifunctional — there you can top up your SIM card balance, buy magazines and newspapers, bus tickets and parking tickets. Some tobacco shops even brew their own coffee.
- It is customary to buy meat, fish, vegetables and fruits in small shops from people you know. In general, Italians like to refer to friends, acquaintances, colleagues or neighbors. "As recommended by" they go to doctors, hairdressers etc...
- The Hotel fund in Italy is not as big as in other European countries. But be sure that even the smallest hotel in Italy is sure to be comfortable and have all amenities.
- There are several active volcanoes in Italy: Etna, Stromboli and Vesuvius. All of them are located in the south. Etna is considered the most active volcano and is erupting daily since 1999.
Season
Summer in Italy is beach, diving and water oriented tourism.
Diving is seasonal — from April to October. Water temperature range from +15°С to +25°С (depending on the month and the dive site). On the best Mediterranean islands — and these are Sicily, Sardinia and Capri — visibility under water reaches up to 50 meters.
Winter is ski season. The most popular destination is the Alps.
On the first Saturday of January, the shopping sales begin. In Italy it is called "Mid-season sales". In summer, the discount season usually opens on the first Saturday of July.
Rains and temperature
ROMA WEATHERGallery
Description of diving in the country
The underwater world of Italy has grottoes and caves, the volcanic Pontine Islands and a rich flora and fauna in their marine reserves. The leading diving centers in Italy are located in the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, as well as in the northern coast of the Ligurian Sea.
Sardinia is one of the best diving destination in the Mediterranean, with dive sites of various difficulty levels and diving depth up to 60 meters. July and August are the hottest months. During this period, lots of divers and tourists.
Shellfish City is a Sardinian dive site at a 10-meter depth, ideal for beginner. The largest colony of mollusks, Atrina fragilis (fan mussel), lives there.
Nereo (Grotta di Nereo) is an underwater cave in northwestern Sardinia, part of one of the Marine Reserve. The diving depth is up to 30 meters. The walls of the cave are covered with red and yellow corals, and the length of the galleries are around 300 meters.
For fans of wreck diving: The sunken cruiser KT. A German cruiser that has been in Sardinian waters since 1943 Dive into history and get in touch with the past.
Sicily is considered the pearl of Italy. Grottoes caves, cliffs and shallows, marine reserves where sea roses and corals grow. The best time for diving in Sicily is from May to October. During these months, the water temperature is up to 20-30°C. The maximum diving depth is 55 meters.
Ustica is the scuba diving capital of Sicily. Some of the most popular dive sites include the Blue and Green Caves in the eastern part of the island, as well as the Grotta delle Barche (cave of boats). The coastal waters of the island are listed as a national marine reserve.
The Ligurian coast is mostly cliffs with sunken ships covered with coral and lots of exotic fish.
The most visited dive sites in Liguria are: Canalone — a vertical wall covered with sea daisies; Pilone Nero — a rocky gorge where you can see sea urchins, moray eels and large lobsters; The San Guglielmo — wreck site with its first-class passenger ship that is home to groupers, octopuses and eels.