16 Reasons why Italy is famous for

Italian is one of the most studied languages globally, even though it is spoken fluently by only about 65 million people as an official language. It is, however, taught in schools and universities for several reasons. First and foremost, it is a literary language with its dignity, recognised by the importance of specific written works. 

A large part of the popularity of the Italian language is because many Italians live abroad—children and grandchildren of emigrants often driven to learn it to rediscover a link with their roots. 

Strongly linked to the language aspect is music. Italian is, in fact, the official language of opera. Any classical musician knows that without Italian, a score would be uninterpretable. 

Above all, many Italian songs are famous throughout the world. From Canzone Napoletana to Domenico Modugno's 'Volare' and the recent rock success of Måneskin. 

After the 1950s, Italian cinema experienced its best period, which brought high recognition worldwide, especially with Neorealism. In the land of the Oscars, the United States, actors such as Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Michelangelo Antonioni, Dario Argento considere "Masters". Among the most famous films of those golden years, the following people remember worldwide: "La dolce vita", "Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo" (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and "Il Sorpasso" (The Easy Life).

The film "Il Postino" with Massimo Troisi, which won an Oscar in 1996, is viral. The movie "La Vita è Bella" by Roberto Benigni, which in 1999 even managed to win three Oscars: Best Soundtrack, Best Foreign Language Film and, above all, Best Actor in a Leading Role (a prize that had never before won by a non-English speaking actor). 

Lastly, the films of Paolo Sorrentino, who won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film with his "La Grande Bellezza". And this year he is again nominated for the golden statuette with his latest film 'The Hand of God'. 

And speaking of this new film, another reason why Italy is famous is the passion of Italian fans. We have had the latest demonstration of this with the victory at the European Football Championship, the Olympics and the many other Italian sports victories. Football is a real mania in Italy, but the passion also infects other sports such as volleyball, motorcycling, cycling, etc. The Italian fans are known to be football fans, but the desire for football in Italy is also powerful.

Italian fans are known to be warm, cheerful, passionate. The attachment to their favourite team is firm. In our country, some of the most incandescent matches on the world calendar take the stage here. 

Many say that Italians speak with their hands. We are inclined to have a set of attitudes, facial and hand movements that characterise Italian conversations.

It is something that abroad sees as unique and that characterises us so much. The most famous is undoubtedly the pine-cone or tulip hand that swings towards the interlocutor. It can have a double meaning: interrogative ('what do you want?') or critical ('what are you saying?!' or 'not at all'). 

It is called "minor Italy", but in reality, the Italian villages are an invaluable wealth worth getting to know! So much so that an association called I Borghi più Belli d'Italia (Italy's Most Beautiful Villages) has been set up, which now includes 308 villages. An atlas of peripheral beauty, of places where the quality of life is still very high.

Here, gastronomic traditions, archaeological treasures and hospitality are still alive. Not to mention the more than 6,000 abandoned villages, which, thanks to a wide variety of initiatives, are once again becoming alive and teeming with inhabitants and visitors. 

In short, a real gem for lovers of responsible tourism!

Italy is a treasure trove of biodiversity: animal and plant species, territorial variety, dialects, and tourist itineraries. With its 301,338 square kilometres, Italy can offer ever-changing journeys!

25 national parks are scattered all over the boot and cover about 5.3% of the national territory (EUAP - Official List of Protected Natural Areas). They protect and safeguard our lakes, deserts, hills, plains and Italy's rich fauna and flora. 

Italy currently holds the record for the most significant number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, surpassing even China and counting 59. Not to mention the remaining 36 candidate sites waiting to be deemed worthy of inclusion on the UNESCO list. 

In addition to the physical sites, there is also the intangible heritage. Among the 549 elements selected in 127 countries around the world, Italy has entered 12.

When one thinks of the Renaissance, the connection with Italy, where the artistic and literary period came to life, is inevitable! All critics and the public agree that the highest point reached by humankind, in creative terms, is the Italian Renaissance, which then generated the European Renaissance. 

The works of Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Bernini, Maderno, Bramante, Brunelleschi, Veronese, Titian, Caravaggio, Donatello, Tiepolo, Piero della Francesca, Botticelli, Masaccio, Beato Angelico, Andrea Mantegna, il Ghirlandaio, Leon Battista Alberti, Antonello da Messina, Verrocchio, Bellini, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Pinturicchio, Romanino, Lorenzo Costa are so renowned that they represent a veritable atlas of world art history. 

While watching Roman Holiday or La Dolce Vita, who has not dreamed of getting on a Vespa and going for a ride onboard?! Piaggio's famous all-Italian scooter has become a symbol and icon of Italy. 

A piece of history! It was also exhibited at the Museum of Italian Design at the Triennale in Milan and MoMa in New York. Even today, the Vespa has many admirers worldwide, who never miss a chance to work on it in their garages to keep it looking like new and then jump on board for a nice ride around town. 

Made in Italy, or rather, Designed in Italy in the world, is the absolute master! Sports cars are an Italian product that must be above the "top".

Brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Pagani produce the most desirable cars. Not only attractive design and performance but also actual status symbols. 

Made from top-notch materials, they stand out for their beauty, enveloping lines and, of course, sporty performance. It is no coincidence that Ferrari, Lancia and Alfa Romeo have dominated the Formula 1, Gran Turismo and Rally championships over the years. 

There is no doubt that Italy rhymes with style! Italian fashion stems from the grand tradition of tailoring in Naples, Rome, Milan and Florence. 

This tradition has found its niche in the market, translated into business empires founded by designers. Such as Armani, Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Gucci, Luxottica and Benetton. Italians have always had a reputation for good taste in the way they dress.

The footwear sector is also remarkable: Italian shoes are considered the best in the world. The tanneries make immediately recognisable leather accessories and clothing. 

In Italy, you can have it all: the sea and mountains. A large part of Italy is occupied by mountain ranges (19 out of 21 regions), while the coastline covers over 8,000 km.

The crystal-clear waters of the Ionian, Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas lies much of the beauty that makes our country unique. And thanks to the environmental quality of mountain towns, you can have the opportunity to regenerate.

Italy is also, and above all, famous for its history. We're not going to tell you the lie that Italy has 50% of the world's artistic heritage, but given its size, there's a lot more here than anywhere else. 

Rome alone is built mainly on the ancient ruins of the Roman Empire, and cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum are world-famous. What to say then to the Etruscan and Greek remains in Italy. 

Not to mention the architectural beauty and artistic heritage, some of which Italian churches preserve. As well as the museums: many of the most famous in the world is Italian. 

Italy is the leading wine producer in terms of quantity, but the quality is also excellent! In recent decades, Italian wines, both red and white, have established themselves internationally. 

Wines such as Prosecco and Spumante are becoming leaders in their field. And the Italian grappa and liqueur sector is also doing very well.

And here is the main reason why Italy is famous...What if not Italian food and cuisine! Poets, saints and navigators, gastronomes, chefs and gourmets.

Italy is a country with a great culinary tradition and a great heritage of flavours and raw materials. Many try to imitate our cuisine, but none has the authentic taste that distinguishes our food. 

Biodiversity is also present in Italian food: it is possible to eat different versions of the same dish, which varies from region to region and from province to province. The most famous and popular dish is pizza. 

What about Italian desserts? Gelato, tiramisu, cannoli, baba, zeppole and more. The Italian patisserie also has the most potent and tastiest arsenal of pastries in the world!