Italy

Italy is such a beautiful place, yet a place of huge contrast - from the remote and under developed south, to the over developed and highly industrialized north. Basically, Italy is a place that usually challenges one's senses and then often more than one at a time.

History

Who really knows when the human history of this region began? Certainly a lot is known of the Etruscan era, subsequent Roman Empire, the Renaissance, the Catholic church, and the perfections of wine, pasta and pizza (and women?). Many things where happened simultaneously in Italy, and were often interwoven, which have given rise to an extremely rich and colourful history that can be fascinating. If you ever have any interest in any period of history, something can be found of interest in Italy. Wherever one goes, there are layers of history (as building in Rome will prove). This has also given rise to a diverse range of people, dialects and cultures within Italy. A fascinating place if one has the time to explore.