The vegetation in Italy is very diverse. This is mainly a cultural landscape, excluding, of course, the highlands. One could call the landscape monotonous if not for the birch, oak and pine groves. By the way, it’s worth mentioning Italian pine trees separately. Wood from Italian pines from Weymouth and Vallechiana is transported to our country. Tourists who have seen pine trees will never forget their beauty - these are tall trees with an even trunk, the crown of which is crowned with a pink “mushroom”. When choosing the San Paolo Hotel in Venice for your holiday in Italy, the photo will show you what beautiful trees are planted around this hotel. Of course, the overall picture cannot be called a natural landscape, it is purely a view of a large metropolis, which, like other hotel complexes, sparkles with bright lights and spotlights in the evenings.
But we have moved away from the topic. Poplars and white acacia can be found in the floodplain of the Po River. But you will find shrubby vegetation and evergreen trees only along the coasts of the Alenny Peninsula. You will be surprised by the diversity of vegetation in this region - alpine pines, cacti, pine trees, agaves, palm trees, holm and cork oaks.
Despite the fact that subtropical crops predominate in Italy, for example, olives, figs, almonds, citrus fruits, pomegranate, here you can find wild olive, tree juniper, strawberry maquis, laurel, oleander. But once you rise to five hundred to eight hundred meters above sea level, you will notice that subtropical crops practically do not grow here - they have been replaced by broad-leaved forests.
In the Alps, this type of vegetation predominates, but at a much lower level. Just as in the Alps, beech, chestnut, oak trees with some hornbeam, and ash grow in the highlands of Italy. And higher up this diversity is replaced by beech and coniferous forests. In the Alps, such forests grow at around nine hundred meters, and in Italy the level rises to two thousand meters above sea level.
If you want to relax in Venice, choose the Hotel Domus Civica, but, however, it is enclosed in a purely urban landscape, and you will not notice much vegetation here. But if you still want to make short notes about trees and shrubs, it is better to live on the outskirts of the city - in a villa or in a house in the village.
Of course, you won’t get to the 2000 m mark on your own. But if you do get there, you will see the predominant conifers here - all types of pines, fir, European spruce species. Beyond them, tall grass meadows begin - subalpine meadows give way to alpine vegetation. In summer, cattle are walked here.
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The vegetation cover of Italy is characterized by
clearly defined altitudinal zonation and the predominance of vegetation types directly created by man or arose under his influence.
On the Apennine Peninsula, the natural vegetation of the lower zone (up to 500-600 m in the north and up to 700-800 m in the south) is formed mainly by maquis thickets, consisting of evergreen shrubs and some types of trees (myrtle, strawberry tree, tree-like heathers, wild olive, etc. .). Small forests of evergreen oaks (holm and cork oaks) are typical; groves of Mediterranean pine and pine trees are found near the sea. On rocky slopes the so-called. Gariga is a type of vegetation that usually grows on former pasture sites and consists of low-growing evergreen shrubs, subshrubs and perennial grasses. However, the predominant vegetation in the middle zone is cultivated, especially grain fields and vineyards. Plantings of oilseeds and fruit trees (oranges, lemons, almonds, figs, etc.) are widespread.
The middle altitude zone (up to 800-1000 m in the north and up to 1300-1500 m in the south) is a zone of deciduous shrubs and forests, mainly oak. The most common species are oak, chestnut, and beech. Even higher lies a zone of coniferous-broadleaf forests, consisting mainly of beech, spruce and European fir.
In the Alps, in the lower zone, the natural vegetation consists mainly of broad-leaved forests; in the higher zones, beech forest predominates, alternating with spruce and fir. Above the coniferous forests, subalpine tall grass meadows begin. They give way to alpine mountain meadows, which are used as summer pastures. Above the mountain meadows to the very peaks or glaciers, the slopes are covered with mosses and lichens.
Almost the entire surface of the Padan Plain is covered with cultivated vegetation, the largest area being occupied by wheat, corn and vineyards. Natural vegetation consists of negligible areas of deciduous oak forests; in river valleys there are floodplain forests and meadows. Alleys of poplars, willows, and white acacias border the roads and banks of canals and rivers.
The fauna of Italy belongs to the Mediterranean, with the exception of the Alps, which belong to the Central European subregion. Due to the destruction of forests and the large area of cultivated land, few wild animals remain in Italy. Only in remote areas of the Alps and Apennines, mainly in nature reserves, are there bears, wolves, chamois, roe deer, and on the island of Sardinia - mouflons, fallow deer, and wild forest cats. Wild boars are widespread. There are many foxes in the Alps. Small predators and rodents - weasels, martens, marmots, squirrels, and hares - are much better preserved. Hedgehogs and bats are ubiquitous. The world of reptiles is rich. Italy abounds in lizards, snakes, and turtles. The world of birds is very diverse and numerous - about 400 species. In the mountains there are goshawks, vultures, and golden eagles, and in the highlands of the Alps - wood grouse, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, and swifts. There are many geese and ducks on the plains and along the shores of lakes. Of marine fish, mullet, cod, sardines, tuna, mackerel, and flounder are of great commercial importance, and of river fish, carp, trout, and eel are of great commercial importance. There are few large mammals, and all of them have a limited distribution; The chamois is the most adapted to such a habitat (in the Alps and Apennines). Small mammals include the wild cat, ferret, stone and pine marten. The most common rodents are hares and squirrels.
Climate
Italy is located in a subtropical Mediterranean climate zone, and the influence of the sea is enhanced by the Alps, which are a barrier to the north and west winds.
In the Alpine (northernmost) zone, the climate is continental in nature, with altitudinal zonation. At the foot of the Alps, the average July temperature is 20-22 °C. In Bardonecchia (western part) the average annual temperature is 7.4 °C and the average annual precipitation is 660 mm. The eastern part is less warm with more humidity; in Cortina d’Ampezzo these figures are 6.6 °C and 1055 mm. In the Valle d'Aosta (western part of the zone), permanent snow cover begins at 3110 m, and in the Julian Alps the snow drops to 2545 m. In autumn and winter, a hot dry foehn blowing from Switzerland or Austria sometimes causes sharp increases in temperature in some valleys (Aosta, Susa). In the eastern part of the Alps, gusts of dry and cold boron winds can reach 200 km/h. In summer, rain falls in high altitude areas, and in autumn and spring it moves to the edges of the climate zone. Snow falls only in winter; the amount (from 3 to 10 m) depends on the year and proximity to the coast. The foothills experience heavier snowfall than mountainous areas. In mountainous areas frosts down to -15-20 °C are not uncommon. The lakes located in the region soften the local climate, the average January temperature in Milan is 1 °C, and in Salo, on Lake Garda - 4 °C. The Italian Alps are home to several hundred glaciers, such as Miage (in the Mont Blanc massif, the largest in Italy) and Calderone (on Mount Corno Grande, the southernmost in Europe).
On the Padan Plain the climate is transitional from subtropical to temperate - hot summers and harsh winters, softening as you move towards the eastern coast. In Turin, the average temperature in winter is 0.3 °C, in summer - 23 °C. Rainfall occurs mainly in the off-season, increasing with altitude. Little snow falls on the high plains. Temperatures on the Adriatic coast increase from north to south, partly due to an increase in latitude, partly due to a change in prevailing winds from east to south. The average annual temperature in Venice is 13.6 °C, in Ancona - 16 °C, and in Bari - 17 °C. Precipitation is sparse - 750 mm in Venice, 650 mm in Ancona and 600 mm in Bari.
In the Apennines, the severity of winter is determined by the altitude; precipitation in the form of snow and rain is moderate (except in some places). Mid-winter cyclones cause frequent weather changes, and snow may fall in the southern regions. Average annual temperatures and precipitation are 12.1 °C and 890 mm in Urbino (in the east), and 12.5 °C and 1000 mm in Potenza (Basilicata region). On the eastern slopes of the Apennines and in the interior of the peninsula, 600-800 mm of precipitation falls per year, in the interior of Sicily and Sardinia - less than 500 mm per year.
Along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Riviera, temperature and precipitation are influenced by the sea, complete exposure to the midday sun, prevailing southwesterly winds and the proximity of the Apennine ridge, which does not allow northern winds to pass through. In San Remo (western part of the riviera) precipitation falls per year 680 mm, in La Spezia (south-eastern part of the riviera) it is rainier - 1150 mm. The Adriatic coast is generally colder (1-2 °C) and drier than on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Mountainous Calabria and Sicily are surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and therefore have higher temperatures than in the mountains of the northern part of the peninsula. In winter, rain rarely falls in the interior, falling more often in the western and northern regions of Sicily. In Reggio Calabria the average annual temperature and precipitation are 18.2 °C and 595 mm, in Palermo - 18 °C and 970 mm, respectively. A hot and very humid sirocco wind often blows from North Africa, heating the air to 40-45 °C and reaching the south of Sardinia. The climate of Sardinia is also influenced by the cold mistral blowing across its northwestern coast. In Sassari (northwest of the island) the average annual temperature and precipitation are 17 °C and 580 mm, and in Orosei (eastern coast of the island) these figures are 17.5 °C and 540 mm.
Geography
The Italian Republic (Italy) is a state in southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. It borders with France in the north-west (border length - 488 km), with Switzerland (border length - 740 km) and Austria (border length - 430 km) in the north and with Slovenia in the north-east (border length - 232 km). It also has internal borders with the Vatican (border length - 3.2 km) and San Marino (border length - 39 km). It is one of the Schengen states.
Italy is a predominantly mountainous country that occupies the Apennine Peninsula (on which the Apennine Mountains are located (the highest point is Mount Corno Grande, 2914 m), the Padana Plain, the southern slopes of the Alps (with the highest point of Western Europe, Mount Mont Blanc, 4808 m), the islands of Sicily , Sardinia and a number of small islands (most of the small islands are divided into archipelagos, for example the Tuscan archipelago, which includes the island of Elba, to which Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled). Active volcanoes - (Vesuvius, Etna); frequent earthquakes. The longest river in Italy, the Po, its length is 682 km. The largest lake is Garda.
From the east, the Apennine Peninsula is washed by the Adriatic Sea with the Gulf of Venice in its northern part. The Strait of Otranto between Puglia and Albania connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Between Puglia and Calabria the Gulf of Taranto penetrates deep into the land. The very narrow Strait of Messina separates Calabria from Sicily, and the 135 km wide Strait of Sicily (or Tunisian) separates Sicily from North Africa. The Tyrrhenian Sea is a triangular-shaped basin framed by Sardinia, Corsica, the Tuscan Archipelago, the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily. To the north of Corsica is the Ligurian Sea with the Gulf of Genoa.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable world. Even more diverse than the soils is the vegetation of Italy. More than half of all European species are concentrated in an area that makes up 1/30 of Europe. About 1/10 of the total flora is made up of endemic species, while at the same time, many exotic plants brought from other continents during the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries have taken root in Italy.
The Alps and the Padana Plain belong to the Central European forest zone, and the Apennine Peninsula and islands already lie in the subtropical Mediterranean zone. Altitudinal zonation is clearly visible in the mountains.
Everywhere, with the exception of the highlands, cultural landscapes predominate. Forests once covered almost the entire Padana plain and the Apennine Peninsula, but gradually, starting from the era of Ancient Rome, they were rapaciously exterminated for fuel and construction and now occupy only 21% of the territory, mainly in the mountains and hills, while the plains are practically treeless . Italy would be even more treeless if it were not for regular (albeit far from sufficient) forest plantings that have been going on for more than 200 years.
Densely populated and almost entirely cultivated, the Padan Plain is practically devoid of wild vegetation. In the floodplain of the Po, along the roads, along the banks of canals and rivers, poplars, willows, and white acacia grow. Among the monotonous fields there are oak, and less often - birch and pine groves.
A strip of evergreen trees and shrubs stretches along the coastal lowlands of the Apennine Peninsula and islands. Along river valleys they penetrate into the mountains to an altitude of 500-600 m above sea level. Holm and cork oaks, mastic trees, pine trees, cypresses, palm trees, cacti, and agaves coexist here. The place of the cut down and scorched forests was taken by thickets of maquis, consisting of strawberry and carob trees, tree-like juniper, gorse, oleander, wild olive, and laurel. Drier places are characterized by another type of thicket - garrigue, consisting of fragrant evergreen shrubs and perennial xerophytic grasses. However, the coastal zone is dominated by cultivated species, primarily subtropical: citrus fruits, olives, almonds, pomegranates, figs, and human-planted cork oak groves.
In the Apennines, at approximately an altitude of 500-800 m above sea level, evergreen subtropical vegetation gives way to deciduous broad-leaved forests, or rather, small islands of them left after centuries of deforestation. In the Alps, they represent the lower plant zone. Oak forests with an admixture of chestnut, hornbeam, ash, and beech are interspersed with gardens, vineyards, arable land, and potato plantings.
Higher up begins the belt of mixed coniferous-beech forests (in the Alps at an altitude of 900 m, in the Apennines - 2000 m). Above them is a belt of coniferous forests, consisting of various European species of pine, spruce, larch, and fir. Above the coniferous forests lie subalpine tall grass meadows, for which the Alps are especially famous. Then they give way to alpine meadows, and finally, up to the very peaks or glaciers there are slopes covered with mosses and lichens. Saxifragas and primroses bloom in some places at the very edge of the snowfields.
Animal world. Due to the destruction of forests, increasing population density and the area of cultivated land in Italy, few wild animals remain. Only in remote areas of the Alps and Apennines, mainly in nature reserves, are there bears, wolves, chamois, roe deer, and on the island of Sardinia - mouflon, fallow deer, and wild forest cat. Wild boars are widespread. There are many foxes in the Alps.
Small predators and rodents (weasels, martens, marmots, squirrels), as well as hares, are much better preserved. Hedgehogs and bats are ubiquitous. The world of reptiles and birds is rich. Italy abounds in lizards, snakes, and turtles. The bird fauna numbers about 400 species. In the mountains there are goshawks, vultures, and golden eagles, and in the highlands of the Alps - wood grouse, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, and swifts. On the plains, along the shores of lakes, there are many geese and ducks. Of marine fish, mullet, cod, sardines, tuna, and flounder are of great commercial importance, and of river fish, carp, trout, and eel are of great commercial importance.
Attractions
The most famous attractions: Roman and Imperial Forum, Baths of Caracalla (217 AD); Palatine Hill, Trajan's Forum, Capitoline Hill, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Piazza Venice, Castel Sant'Angelo and St. Peter's Cathedral, the world famous Pantheon - an ancient temple built in 27 BC; The Colosseum, built in 80 AD; catacombs in which the first Christians took refuge from persecution; Fort Castel Sant'Angelo, originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian and rebuilt as a fortification in the Middle Ages; basilica of st. John Lateran (IV century, rebuilt in the 17th - 18th centuries); basilica of st. Paul (IV century); basilica of st. Petrav-chains (5th century), inside of which there is a marble sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo; Piazza Navona with three fountains: one by Gianlorenzo Bernini; tourists usually throw coins into the Baroque Trevi Fountain; The Naiad Fountain in Piazza della Republic and the Triton Fountain in Piazza Barberini; Church of Trinita dei Monti (XV century).
The most important Vatican Museums: St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums are located on the territory of the Vatican. St. Peter's Cathedral is the largest and most important Christian church, built on the burial site of St. Peter. The cathedral houses many masterpieces: the Pieta - one of the first works of Michelangelo, the canopy installed over the papal throne by Bernini, the bronze statue of St. Peter, the tombs of the popes. The Vatican Museums occupy part of the palaces. In total, the Vatican has over a dozen museums and galleries: the Pinacateca art gallery, a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture, the Etruscan Museum, the galleries of Candelabra, Tapestries and Maps, Stanzas of Raphael, the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo. Galleria Borghese Villa Borghese, one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Rome, on the territory of which the Galleria Borghese is located. In the halls of the 17th century palace, there are collections of sculpture and painting from the collection of Cardinal Sapion-Borgese: magnificent marble sculptures by Bernini, the famous “Paulina Bonaparte in the image of Venus” by Canova, paintings by famous masters Raphael, Pinturicchio, Fra Bartolomeo, Cranach, Dürer, Caravaggio, Correggio , G. Bellini, Veronese, Titian, Rubens.
Capitoline Museums: Located on Capitol Hill. The Palace of the Conservatives houses a collection of ancient art: sculpture and an art gallery, which presents ancient murals and paintings by Renaissance masters. In the New Palace there is an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, "The Dying Gaul", a gallery of busts of Roman emperors, and a mosaic from Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli.
On the picturesque hills not far from the capital lies an entire recreation area for the Roman nobility and emperors. In Castelgandolfo, right on the site of the legendary city of Alba Longa - the birthplace of Remus and Romulus, the villa of the Pope is located. Nearby lie the unique crater lakes Alba and Nemi.
In Tivoli (30 km from Rome), the grandiose ruins of Hadrian's Villa (118 AD), called the “Villa of Five Hundred Fountains,” attract attention. Villa d'Este (1550) is a grandiose object of landscape art. Also attractive is the nearby Villa Gregoriana with a magnificent waterfall (about 160 m high), grottoes and a park.
Lido di Ostia (28 km from Rome) is a former busy seaport of the Roman Empire with an amphitheater, temples, cobbled streets and luxurious baths, not far from which a later city arose with a modern recreation area - sandy beaches, small hotels, a beautiful promenade and many bars and restaurants.
Milan is one of the oldest cities in the country. The mixture of Austrian, French and Italian cultures contributed to the emergence of completely unique works of art and architecture here. The heart of Milan is the huge Piazza Duomo with the equestrian statue of King Vittorio Emanuel II, the Northern Palace with the Arc de Triomphe and the openwork Gothic Milan Cathedral (1386-1813). On the highest spire of the cathedral stands the famous statue of the Madonna made of gilded bronze, more than 4 m high. To the right of the cathedral is the building of the Royal Palace, which served as the city hall until 1138, and then as the ducal palace of the Visconti. The palace was heavily damaged by bombing in 1943, but was restored and now houses the State Museum of Modern Art and the Duomo Museum.
Not far from the cathedral, opposite the cross-shaped Vittorio Emanuele gallery, is the famous La Scala opera house. The glory of Milan is also the Church of Sant'Ambrogio (IX-XV centuries), the Church of St. Mauricio of the Maggiore Monastery, one of the most luxurious castles in Italy - Castello Sforzesco (XVI century), the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie (XV century ., in the refectory - the painting "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci), the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore with the Chapel of San Aculino, the early Christian Church of St. Lorenzo with mosaics of the 4th century, the Romanesque Church of Santa Eustorgio with a pearl of the Renaissance - the Portnari Chapel and etc.
Milan is rightfully proud of the unique works of art that are stored in its museums, such as the Brera Gallery (Pinacoteca di Brera), which is famous for its painting, the Castello Museum - a collection of ancient sculpture, frescoes and majolica, the Ambrosiana Picture Gallery (" Pinacoteca Ambrosiana") - a wide range of paintings. The National Museum of Science and Technology houses Leonardo da Vinci's scientific projects and interesting contemporary collections on the history of railways, aeronautics and navigation. The Archaeological Museum has a magnificent collection of Etruscan, Greek and Romanesque art. Poldi Pezzoli Museum - antique ceramics, one of the best collections of weapons and armor in the world. The Gallery of Contemporary Art (D'Arte Moderna) is an excellent exhibition of works by contemporary artists.The surroundings of Milan are home to the Minitalia amusement park, many beautiful lakes and the modern Formula 1 racing track at Monza.
In Verona, thousands of tourists are attracted by Piazza Bra (1st century) - the ancient Roman arena, which is the second largest after the Colosseum, the Church of San Zeno (5th century), the house and tomb of Juliet, Erbe and Signoria Square, the Stone Bridge and the Old Lock.
Florence is not inferior to Rome in the wealth and grandeur of its monuments. The most famous monuments of the city include the Palazzo Vecchio ("old Palace", 1299-1314), Piazza della Signoria, the building of the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Palace, Palazzo Pitti - the most grandiose palace in Florence, the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel with the Tombs of the Dukes, the Cathedral and Convent of San Marco, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Novella, the Church of Or San Michele and the observation deck on Piazzale Michelangelo. You should definitely visit the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1461), Giotto's Bell Tower (14th century) and the Signoria Tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni ("Gates of Heaven") with gilded bronze gates, the famous Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”) and the Cathedral of Santa Croce (XIII-XIV centuries) with the “Pantheon of Florence” - the tombs of Michelangelo, Macchiavelli, Galileo, Rossini, Dante, etc. And this is only a small part of the city’s attractions!
Florence has a huge number of museums and parks. The Uffizi Gallery is not only one of the oldest museums in Italy (1560), but also the most complete and significant collection of Italian painting in the world. The Museum of San Marco is located in the building of an ancient Dominican monastery (XIV century) and is famous for the frescoes and paintings of the great Dominicans Fra Beato Angelico (1395-1455) and Fra Bartolomeo, as well as the cell of Savonarola. Also of interest are the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, the Pitti Gallery in the Royal Apartments, the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum, the Carriage Museum, the National Bargello Museum, the Archaeological Museum in the Crocetta Palace with an extensive collection of ancient art, as well as the Medici Museum in the Medici-Ricardi Palace (XV century).
Venice is built on 122 islands connected by 400 bridges. This is a real monument city, where absolutely any building can claim the title of historical. Most of the Venetian canal streets are so narrow that you can easily rest your hands on the walls of opposite houses, while the buildings themselves reach a height of 7 floors. The canals have practically no banks - stately houses “grow” right out of the water. One of the main attractions of the city is the Grand Canal, which runs through the entire city and is about 4 km long. with a width of up to 70 m. The Grand Canal leads to the central square of Venice - St. Mark's Square, where St. Mark's Cathedral of the 11th century is also located, and the famous palace (and prison) of the Doges (as the rulers of Venice were called).
A colossal number of ancient monuments are scattered throughout the city - the famous "Golden Bridge" ("Rialto"), "Bridge of Sighs" and "Bridge of Changers", the building of the Old and New Procuracies, the Venir de Leoni Palace, the library, the Clock Tower, the Campanile bell tower with an observation deck, numerous palaces of the Venetian nobility, the grandiose Arsenal complex, the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Salute, the Frari Basilica, the 15th century Ca d'Oro ("Golden House") palace and the Merceria shopping street. Many palaces are now located museums, including such famous collections as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Italy's largest collection of modern art), the Museum of Venice, the Naval Museum (model ships and modern weapons), the Accademia Gallery, the Correr Municipal Museum (historical and art collections) , School of the Brotherhood of St. Rocco (painting by Tintoretto), etc.
Venice is also famous as the birthplace of the famous “Murano glass”. On the island of Murano there is a museum, workshops and exhibitions of Venetian glass, as well as the Church of St. Mary and Donato (XII century). The resort island of Lido has good sandy beaches and is also famous for its "Municipal Casino" - the only luxury casino in the world that can only be reached by water.
Padua, founded around the 6th century. BC e., the birthplace of one of the oldest European universities and a major scientific and cultural center of the Middle Ages, is now considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. From Piazza Valle, narrow medieval streets, paved with uneven paving stones, radiate in different directions. In the city center, opposite Piazza del Santo, there is a house in which in the mid-15th century. Donatello lived. The beautiful Church of St. Antonio (Basilica Del Santo) is one of the main attractions of the city.
Every year in June, when the day of St. Antonio, revered by all Italians, is celebrated, pilgrims from all over the world come to Padua to see the embalmed fragments of the saint’s body, with which the altar has been “decorated” since 1232, and which still allegedly have miraculous properties. The Palazzo del Bo, with its typical medieval architecture, which housed the University of Padua at the end of the 16th century, still serves the cause of education today. Along the perimeter it is decorated with marble medallions with images of all the famous graduates and teachers of this “university” over its almost 800-year history. The many historical buildings in the city itself allow it to compete even with Florence and Milan.
Pisa is famous for its carefully trimmed, bright green grass carpet, the Prato de Miracoli (Field of Miracles), which is dominated by the Baptistery, the Leaning Tower of the Campanile and the Camposanto Cemetery. This place was sacred back in Etruscan times, and in the Roman era the Palladium stood here. In 1063, in honor of the victory of the Pisan fleet, a cathedral began to be built in the harbor of Palermo on the foundations of the Palladium to perpetuate the victory of the “Maritime Republic”. And literally immediately the new building began to tilt, turning into the most popular tower in Italy, attempts to “save” it continue to this day. Now the Cathedral Square of Pisa is considered unparalleled in the world.
Naples is a city located at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Even during the Roman Empire, the area was known as a vacation spot for the nobility, who built baths and stadiums, villas and theaters here. By the 19th century the nearby coast became a traditional resort for the aristocracy and bohemia, including Russians. The clean sea, mountain air, many thermal springs and rich culture attract many tourists to Naples, but the city itself is considered the most overpopulated and one of the most urbanized in Europe. The natural wonders of this area include the grottoes of Pertosa, which are about 35 million years old.
National parks and reserves of Italy. There are four of them and they were created to preserve certain species of animals. The oldest of them is the Gran Paradiso National Park (72,000 hectares), the only place where mountain goats and chamois live, as well as marmots, stoats, foxes and eagles. Italy's largest park, the Stelvio National Park (135,000 hectares), is located among mountains and forests near Switzerland, where deer, chamois, roe deer, ground squirrels and pheasants are found in abundance. The Abruzzi National Reserve (30,000 hectares) is located in one of the highest areas of the Apennines, where the last Abruzzese brown bears in Italy can be found.
Banks and currency
Open Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 16.15-16.30 (or an hour after lunch), Saturday and Sunday - closed. In Lombardy, many banks close at 13.00.
Currency can be exchanged at currency exchange offices, banks and post offices. At airports, as a rule, the exchange rate is less favorable, but exchange offices there operate around the clock. There are many exchange machines that accept US dollars. Credit cards and traveler's checks are widely used. In cities, many restaurants, hotels, shops and department stores accept Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche. Establishments that accept cards usually post notices in the "Carta - si" window. Most gas stations require cash payment In rural areas, card payments are difficult.
The monetary unit of Italy is the euro.
A euro is equal to 100 cents. In circulation are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
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In the Alps and southern Pre-Alps there is a classic distribution of flora along natural levels, or belts. Along the lakes of Upper Italy and in the valleys of large mountain rivers, the vegetation becomes distinctly Mediterranean: holm oaks, olive trees, cypresses, laurel, oleander, rosemary and, of course, wild grapes grow well here. Even, as Goethe told us, lemons bloom in especially well-protected places. At the middle levels of the mountains grows the noble chestnut, whose fruits once - in times of great disaster - served as a substitute for flour, and the leaves were used as bedding for livestock. Up to an altitude of approximately 1000 m, oaks and beeches grow well, and among them there are also coniferous trees, primarily white fir and European spruce, larch, cedar pine and European cedar. At high altitudes you can find alpine meadows and rock-talus vegetation, adapted to extreme climatic conditions. In contrast to the Alps, where European cedars mark the forest boundary, at the high levels of the Apennines beeches are most common, growing on a predominantly limestone subsoil. To the south of Abruzzo it is so dry that beeches can be found starting at an altitude of 800 m. Only a few unpretentious varieties of oak grow well there, but there are many dense shrubs. On two mountain “islands” - in the Sila and Polino mountain ranges in Calabria - even higher than the beech trees grow large tracts of black pine, which may have grown here during the Ice Age.
Pine forest in the north of the Apennine PeninsulaVery little forest remains on the Italian islands - they are characterized by cork oak, cultivated mainly in Sardinia and northern Sicily.
Sunset over the Padan plainIn the Padan Plain, only here and there remains of the original vegetation have been preserved. The most characteristic plant in this region, where all types of grain and even rice are grown today, is the silver poplar, which was previously bred for the production of pulp. In the damp and swampy lowlands, eucalyptus plantations that were established in the 1930s and 1940s immediately attract attention. in order to drain vast areas and thereby localize malaria, which was widespread in Italy in the past. On flat sections of the coast, for example near Ravenna, in the northern part of the Adriatic coast, vast tracts of pine - Italian pine - have been preserved to this day. Today, some advocate for different uses of the land, but activists stubbornly oppose deforestation. Coastal spreading pines serve not only as good shelter from the sun - their wood is also highly valued in the furniture industry.
Blooming almond treesToday, secondary vegetation, which is commonly called “poppies,” has spread over vast areas of Italy. (macchie). We are talking about extremely tenacious, most often low, wild shrubs and grasses with thick leaves, and sometimes with thorns and a deep root system. The most famous species are mastic and laurel bushes, thyme, peppermint and gorse. The poorer the area, the lower the thickets, which in some places reach only to the knee, and in some places they have “degraded” to wasteland.
The vegetation of Italy, of course, also includes more attractive representatives of the flora - such as almond trees, hazel, lemon and orange trees (there are whole plantations of them here), fig and pistachio trees, as well as olives (unforgettable olive groves). Cultivated plants include grapes, cereals, rice and corn, fields of which can be found in the lowlands of Upper Italy, as well as vegetable and flower crops, growing wherever soil quality and climatic conditions allow. Some time ago, even date palms began to be grown in Italy. Cedar, pine, silver poplar and eucalyptus are the most important sources of wood.
Fauna
Wild animals are found only occasionally in Italy, they have been almost completely exterminated or have retreated to more protected areas. In any case, only in remote mountain regions - and only if you are lucky - can you still see eagles, alpine goats, fallow deer and marmots. In warm, rocky places lower down, the usual inhabitants are lizards and snakes, living quite freely due to the sharp decrease in the number of their natural enemies.
ButterflyThe elongated Apennine Peninsula is the main route for migratory birds that return from Northern and Central Europe to winter in Africa. It is depressing that songbird hunting is still carried out on a large scale in Northern Italy. In some areas of Italy, the presence of a myriad of mosquitoes is more than noticeable. In Northern and Central Italy you can see many varieties of butterflies, and in the evenings, especially summer and warm ones, you can hear the singing of cicadas. In remote, warm areas, you should beware of poisonous spiders and scorpions. Due to pollution and over-fishing, the number of fish in coastal waters has been greatly reduced. And yet, mollusks, sea snails, sea urchins, lobsters, crayfish, squid, conger eels, mackerel, sole, flounder, bream and barbel are quite common inhabitants of the sea. Dolphins and whales, which used to be often seen in the Tyrrhenian Sea, are now almost never found here, but they have become more numerous in the Ligurian Sea. Fresh lakes and rivers are habitats for eels, trout, perch and tench.
Protection of Nature
About 30,400 sq. km of Italian territory are protected areas. Along with national parks, there are other environmental protection zones, such as regional parks (Parco regionale), natural parks (Parco naturale), protected reserves (Riserva naturale), as well as swamp areas (Zone umide). Despite all these environmental institutions, Italy - like other industrialized countries in Europe - faces major environmental problems. How much industrialization has thrown nature out of balance is shown, for example, by the threatening position of Venice or Ravenna. In northern Italy, pollution caused by heavy traffic and high industrial density leads to serious environmental problems such as smog, dust and ozone pollution. However, the country is doing a lot to protect the environment: in Milan, where until recently there was not a single treatment plant, four similar facilities are being built. In many Italian cities, traffic in the center is prohibited.
The flora of Italy is very diverse and has about six thousand species. Plants range from mosses and lichens, which grow in the rugged Alps, to heat-loving palms, magnolias and eucalyptus, which can be found in abundance along the coast and islands.
The modern flora of the region began to form approximately 65 million years ago, when the territory of Italy was washed by the ancient Tethys Ocean. In those days, palm trees, ficus trees, pomegranates, figs and pistachios grew there.
According to ancient Roman and ancient Greek authors, during antiquity, extensive forests grew in the vicinity of Rome, in Etruria, the Tiber Valley, in the southern Alpine valleys and on the Padanian plain. Soon, due to extensive deforestation, these areas became deforested. At present very little forest grows in Liguria, Tuscany, and on the Tyrrhenian coast of Central and Southern Italy.
Thus, due to intense human activity over many centuries, natural vegetation can only be seen in the mountains. In addition, many species of wild animals have almost completely disappeared in Italy. Now they can only be found in nature reserves and national parks of the country.
At an altitude of about three thousand meters there are mountain tundras, where, depending on the height, shrubs, herbaceous plants, mosses and lichens grow. Below they turn into alpine meadows, which are famous for their lush grasses. In spring, lilies, pansies and rhododendrons bloom there. If you go even lower, then at an altitude of 2200-2300 meters there is a subalpine belt of meadows and low-growing bushes, as well as crooked forests. In the Alps, the main tree of the crooked forest is mountain pine.
Under the subalpine belt there are forests. At an altitude of about two thousand meters various types of pine and spruce grow. There are also fir and larch there. Below, beech, hornbeam, ash and chestnut grow.
In the foothills there are often thickets of chestnut and beech with deciduous broad-leaved shrubs such as hawthorn and hazelnut. In these areas, oak groves with deciduous shrubs are also common: sumac, hazel, viburnum, hop hornbeam, deciduous pistachio.
In the lower tier of forests, blueberries, bearberries, lingonberries, and various types of heather primarily grow: common, snow and tree heather.
Herbs and flowers include sedge, cruciferous flower, alpine violet, stone and snow rose, linnaea, lily, hyacinths, foxgloves, and anemones. In addition, there are a lot of mushrooms, mosses and ferns in these forests.
However, the natural vegetation of the foothills has been preserved only in small areas. These lands are mainly planted with cultivated plants.
Oak, pine and birch groves grow on the hills. In addition, white acacias, poplars, willows, and scarlet poppies grow there in abundance.
The vegetation of Italy reaches its riot on the plains. However, they have also suffered from human activity. The largest plain of the Apennine Peninsula is Padana. Its original extensive oak forests with lindens, chestnuts, elms and beeches survive in small quantities only on the moraine hills, i.e. hills formed by rocks that have been transported over varying distances by a glacier. In place of cut down forests, barren wastelands with thickets of heather are formed.
In addition, there are thickets of tree-like heather, strawberry tree, holm oak, juniper, honeysuckle, two types of pistachio, phyllirea, butcher's broom, cistus, rosemary, and Abraham tree. Rosemary and sage grow on dry slopes.
Along the Po River there are low plains with wet soils. Poplars, elms, and willows are already growing there. In addition, Ravenna has such forests intertwined with vines. In this area there is also a pine grove of pines - "pineta".
In general, pine or Italian pine is widespread throughout the Mediterranean and is famous for its nuts.
During the spring rains, various types of bulbous flowers, irises, violets, anemones and fruit trees bloom on the Padan Plain. In June, drought sets in and the vegetation burns out. Many types of flowers and plants bloom again in September and October when there is more rain.
If the Padana Plain belongs to the Central European forest zone, then the plains of the Apennine Peninsula and islands already lie in the subtropical zone.
On the coast and on the islands grow evergreen trees and shrubs, pine and alpine pines, mastic trees, palm trees, holm and cork oaks, cypress trees, cacti and agaves, laurel, myrtle, oleander, carob, as well as plantations of cultivated plants: almonds, olives , citrus fruits, pomegranate. Large groves are formed by olive trees.
The lower tier is represented by aromatic labiatae (rosemary officinalis, creeping tenacious), ferns, violets, primroses, bells, daisies.
In Southern Italy, exclusively Mediterranean evergreens grow, for example, oleander, scrub oak, laurel, strawberry tree, wild olives, myrtle, pistachios, cistus, lavender, thyme, heathers. Myrtle and cork oak grow in Sardinia. There are also forests and thickets of Mediterranean bushes.
Sicily is dominated by citrus fruits, vineyards, chestnut groves and pistachio trees. In general, this island is unique in its nature. Plants gradually move from subtropical to shrubs and birch groves, which grow at an altitude of two thousand meters on the slopes of Mount Etna. The fact is that birch does not grow in southern Europe. It can only be found in the north, four thousand kilometers from Sicily.