Famous landmarks in Italy

Italy is a country in southern Europe made up of a long, boot-shaped peninsula stretching into the Mediterranean Sea, plus the large islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Its capital is Rome. Two tiny independent countries, Vatican City and San Marino, sit completely inside Italy. Italy was the heart of the Roman Empire and the birthplace of the Renaissance, and it is loved for its art, music, pizza, pasta and gelato.

On My Earth Toy you can visit the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Roman Forum in Rome, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Florence and Milan cathedrals, St Mark's Square in Venice, the ruins of Pompeii, the cone-roofed trulli of Alberobello and the cliffside village of Manarola. In the Alps, look for the Alpine ibex.

Geography and nature

The snowy Alps form Italy's northern border, and the Apennine Mountains run down the length of the peninsula like a backbone. Between them lies the wide valley of the Po, Italy's longest river, and a string of big lakes such as Garda and Como. Italy also has famous volcanoes: Vesuvius near Naples, Stromboli, and Etna on Sicily, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The coasts are warm and sunny, with olive groves, vineyards and lemon trees.

People, languages and culture

Italians speak Italian, and many regions also have their own local dialects. Most people are Roman Catholic, and the Pope lives in Vatican City in the middle of Rome. Italian artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael created some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. Opera began in Italy around 1600, and musical words like piano and soprano are Italian. Every region has its own food, from pizza in Naples to risotto in Milan, and football is a national passion.

History in a nutshell

According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 BC. It grew from a city into a republic and then an empire that ruled lands around the whole Mediterranean. After the western empire fell in 476, Italy split into many states, and rich cities like Venice, Florence and Genoa flourished. The Renaissance, a rebirth of art and learning, began here in the 14th century. Italy was unified as one kingdom in 1861, voted to become a republic in 1946, and helped found what became the European Union.