Blog : Top 5 facts about Italy

Italy is an attractive place - A vacation in Italy can be packed with interesting things to do and see without ever running out of activities or stunning sights. If you go to a boot-shaped country, keep the following interesting facts in mind.

Nobody knows where Italy got its name - Italy comes from a root word meaning land of young cattle. Historians speculate that it may have been named because a bull was a symbol of the early southern Italian tribes, but some believe it to have come from an early king of the region named Italus.

The fourth most populated place in Europe - Italy is about the size of Arizona, but Italy population is about ten times the state population, with about 60 million people living in Italy as opposed to 6 million in Arizona. About 320 people live in each square mile of Italy - about 200 kilometers.

Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year - The Christmas season is very long, too - Christmas dinner usually takes place on Christmas Eve, and this season lasts until January 6, as long as the epiphany, or is generally believed to be when three sensible people follow the manger of Jesus.

Soccer is the most popular organized sport in Italy - Italian Rabid is a football fan. They are known as Tifosi, meaning typhus carriers. It is a national pastime, and the Italians are highly passionate about the game.

More than 50 million tourists visit Italy each year - Tourism is an important part of Italy gross national product. More than 60% of the country income comes from tourist dollars spent there.

Conclusion - With some of the world most impressive art, architecture, food, and scenery, it is little wonder that Italy tops so many travelers bucket lists. From ancient cities and soaring mountains to fine wines and traditional pizzas, you can visit this fascinating country for years and still not be able to discover everything.