Some small curiosities about Italy and best place to travel in Italy: the only peninsula that travels from north to south with a perfect latitude and is surrounded by good seas and winds.
Unique geographical situation on the planet that covers 0.50% of the world's surface with 0.83% of the world's population.
Thanks to its position, surrounded by "good" winds and seas, it gives life to great Italian excellences, often exported worldwide.
Just a few examples: in Pra’ near Genoa, the best basil in the world is born; San Daniele ham (from the Bora wind and the Dolomites); Parma ham (Apuan Alps); it is said that the best pasta is born in Gragnano (Naples) in the so-called "wind tunnel" where the fresh air of Castellamare di Stabia meets the breeze of Vesuvius creating a unique microclimate; in Abruzzo, the best saffron in the world; in Calabria, licorice is born from the Ionian sea and the Apuan Alps; myrtle in Sardinia; Pachino tomatoes in Sicily, and so on...
Starting from our province and region guided by the excellence of Venetian products, we offer without intermediaries:
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Venice, Capital of Art with a tasting of the Sant’Erasmo Artichoke;
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Vicenza with the Palladian villas and the Grappa of Bassano;
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Verona with Romeo and Juliet and Amarone from Valpolicella;
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Padua with the Saint, the walled cities, and Montagnana ham;
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Treviso with the art of Canova and the long radicchio of Treviso.
Thanks to the climate and geographical position (reiterating with only 0.50% of the world's surface), Italy hosts 7,000 species of edible plants (the first country in the world, followed by Brazil with 3,300). Each Italian region has more varieties than any state in Europe. There are 58,000 species of animals: 42,000 terrestrial or aerial, 10,500 saltwater, and 5,500 freshwater. The second country in the world (China), with 6% of the surface, has only 20,000 animal species. In Italy, there are still 1,200 native grape varieties (222 in France), and therefore, there are over 500 Italian olive cultivars (to name a few: Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Biancolilla, Coratina, Ogliarola, Moresca, Casaliva, Nocellara).
In Italy, there are 140 cultivars of durum wheat. The country that produces the most in the world is the USA but with only 6 species.
This marvel called biodiversity is Italy, the most biodiverse country in the world, the same biodiversity that we have in the agri-food sector now transformed into gastronomy.
A story that starts 40,000 years ago narrates that Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens left Africa but both traveled different roads, never meeting along the way except once in Italy...
Tens of thousands of years later, Italy had the first great empire leading in social and political realms; 1,500 years later, the Renaissance was born. Thanks to this biodiversity, Italy today encounters 70% of the world's physical artistic heritage, all this by exploring only 0.5% of the Earth's surface.
Italian biodiversity that then transformed into landscapes (sometimes ruined by those who do not appreciate them); therefore, our landscapes are among the most beautiful in the world.
The Bel Paese has indeed reached 55 sites recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites today (click here to access the complete list of UNESCO sites in Italy). The latest to be recognized is among the hills of Prosecco of Conegliano Veneto and Valdobbiadene. The complete list includes archaeological sites, monuments, landscapes, villas and historic residences, cities, and islands.
All this gives life to Cultural Tourism, food and wine tourism, and Experiential Tourism.