Italy is special in so many areas, from cultural heritage to sport. Here we will shine a light on eight. You will also get the opportunity to test yourself on your knowledge of Italy with our quiz.
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1. Capitals of Culture
Matera, European Capital of Culture 2019.
Italian towns and villages have a special community atmosphere, which they are happy to share with visitors, through festivals and other community events. Since 1985, 4 Italian towns have been chosen by the EU as the European Capital of Culture. These were Florence (1986), Bologna (1999), Genoa (2004) and Matera (2019).
Each year, the Italian Ministry of Culture also awards one town the honour of being Italy’s Capital of Culture. The aim of this initiative is to support Italian towns to promote their development through its artistic heritage, to benefit the entire community.
In 2024 the Capital of Culture is Pesaro in the north of Le Marche region. Pesaro was chosen for its rich historical heritage, traditions, and social values. It is also known as the city of bicycles and music, as it has numerous cycle paths and was the birthplace of the famous composer Gioacchino Rossini. The whole region of Le Marche has charming villages, stunning scenery and some very large country houses for sale.
The capital city of Marche has an airport and a port by the Adriatic Sea. It is especially popular with passenger traffic, with daily ferry crossings to Croatia, Albania, Greece, and Venice.
Time to test your knowledge. What is the name of the Capital city of Marche? (Answers at the bottom of the page)
a) Pescara b) Ancona c) Bari
2. World heritage sites
The beautiful city of Verona, in the Veneto.
Italy now has 59 entries on the UNESCO World Heritage list. More than any other country in the world. These include the historic centres of some beautiful towns and cities including: Florence, Rome, San Gimignano, Matera, Vicenza, Naples, Siena, Pienza, Urbino, and Verona.
Italy also has many special cultural elements on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. These include, Lipizzan horse breeding traditions, Truffle hunting, falconry, glass beads, dry stone walling, Neapolitan pizza making, and the Mediterranean diet. At the end of 2023 Italy was awarded a new entry on the list.
What is Italy’s new entry on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list?
a) Whistling b) Opera Singing c) Coffee drinking
3. Italian sport
Italians are passionate about supporting their national sports stars, and sing their national anthem loudly and with pride. 2023 was extra special, when the Italian’s beat Australia to win the Davies cup in tennis. This was mainly thanks to their star player, Jannik Sinner, who had a superb season. Italy also does well in swimming, water polo, athletics, cycling, rugby, volleyball, basketball, fencing, figure skating, winter sports and formula 1. Which sport will you watch in Italy?
Football (calcio) is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team is considered one of the best in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times, and European Championships twice. The Series A league is very popular with spectators and attracts fans around the world, due to their exciting tactical playing style.
If you want to follow one of the best Italian teams, you should buy property near one of the top clubs. The most famous are Juventus, Milan, and Inter. However, Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio, Parma and Napoli, also have a big following.
In what city is the stadium of the Juventus football team?
a) Bologna b) Rome c) Turin
4. Italian regions
Valle d’Aosta, Italy’s smallest region.
Italy is divided into 20 administrative regions. From the mountains of the South Tyrol in the north to the beaches of Sicily in the south, the landscape is varied and beautiful. One of the great things about Italy is that you can visit the mountains and the sea within the same day.
Each region has it’s own traditions and highlights. The largest region of Italy by area is Sicily being 25.833 km². The smallest is Valle d’Aosta, on the border with France, which covers only 3,261 km². Molise and Liguria are also relatively small.
However, Sicily isn’t the biggest by population. The most populated region is home to 9,950,742 citizens, and covers an area of 23,863 km².
What is the most populated region of Italy?
a) Lombardy b) Tuscany c) Lazio
5. Italian music
Italian folk music, and the songs and dances that go with them, are still an important part of Italian life. Italy is also well known for its classical music and operas. Famous composers from Italy include Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Paganini, Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini.
Plus, the scores of one Italian composer deserve special recognition. They created the atmosphere for many spaghetti westerns and over five hundred other films. Even if you haven’t seen the film, you’ll recognise the theme tune to “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. In contrast, the same Italian composed the beautiful “Cinema Paradiso” soundtrack, which won the BAFTA award for Best Film Music in 1990.
What is the name of the Italian composer of the sound track to Cinema Paradiso?
a) Ennio Morricone b) John Williams c) Vasco Rossi
6. Italian Villages
Italy has many beautiful villages, many with stone streets, and a castle. Identifying the need to enhance the great heritage of history, art, culture, and tradition in Italian villages, The Association of Villages was born in 2001. As hundreds of villages are becoming depopulated, the association aims to protect, promote and develop the ones recognised as The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.
Around a thousand municipalities have asked to be included in the scheme. Being accepted brings recognition and a great opportunity for both economic and social development. Only seven special villages were added to the list in November 2023, which brings the total to 361 villages. If you dream of owning a historic village house, then you just might find the beautiful village you’re looking for on the Beautiful villages of Italy website.
What is “historic village” in Italian?
a) Borgo storico b) Giovane cittadina c) Case in rovina
7. Italian lakes
Beautiful Lake Como.
There are more than 1,500 lakes in Italy, some formed by glaciers or of volcanic origin. They can be found in the mountains and near the sea, often surrounded by natural beauty. The five most popular lakes for holidays are Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, Lake Iseo and Lake Orta.
But did you know that the Loch Ness monster isn’t the only creature to be spotted in a lake? There are also reports of sightings of a monster in Lake Como (also known as Lake Lario). Lake Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe, about 410 m (1,300 feet) at the deepest location. Therefore, it would be possible for a creature to hide there.
To help back up the stories told by locals was the discovery of a large fossil at Perledo on Lake Como back in 1839. Later this fossil was classified as a type of Northosaurus. Which is an extinct marine reptile that lived in the Triassic period, over 200 million years ago. To this day, some local people refer to the monster in the lake as Lausiosaurs, which means Lizard from Lario.
The Loch Ness Monster’s nickname is Nessie, what is the nickname of the monster in Lake Como?
a) Comico b) Laureato c) Larrie
8. Italian cuisine
Food and wine play a central role in Italian culture, and its cuisine is recognised around the world. An Italian meal is always a cause for celebration. It’s an opportunity for friends and family to gather together. Undoubtedly, the best place to eat Italian cuisine is in Italy, using fresh local produce.
At lunch time a big pot of pasta will be prepared to feed the whole family. Each region has it’s own favourite pasta shapes, of which there are over 300. The pasta aisle of the supermarket is a sight to see. However, many grandmothers still make the pasta fresh for that day. Italians are said to consume 23Kg of pasta every year.
Some pasta dishes have risen to international fame. Carbonara, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Lasagne, Pesto alla Genovese, are some of the most famous examples. Although, an Italian may be horrified by the changes foreigners have made to the recipes.
For a dinner out with friends in Italy, pizza is an affordable and social option. It’s popular for children’s birthdays. Even when they are older, they get together at their favourite pizzeria to catch up with each other’s lives.
Moreover, the art of making a Neapolitan pizza is recognised by Unesco. ‘Pizzaiuolo’ isn’t just about putting on a topping, it involves preparing the dough, baking it in a wood-fired oven, and the rotatory movement by the baker. In Naples alone, there are about 3,000 Pizzaiuoli.
Pizza as we know it today, with tomato sauce and mozzarella, was in fact born in Naples. In 1889, chef Raffaele Esposito made pizza in honour of a very special guest. He made it with the three colours of the Italian flag, by using tomato sauce (red), mozzarella (white) and basil leaves (green). Thus, creating the most famous pizza in the world.
Who was the special guest the pizza was made for?
a) The King of Hawaii b) Queen Margherita of Savoy. C) Prince Diavola
Answers: 1. Ancona 2. Opera singing 3. Turin 4. Lombardy 5. Ennio Morricone 6. Borgo storico 7. Larrie 8. Queen Margherita of Savoy.
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