What are 10 interesting facts about Italy?

We’ve dug up 15 fun facts about Italy to get you started.

• Italy has a free wine fountain.
• Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world.
• All three of Europe’s active volcanoes are in Italy.
• Italians invented pizza in Naples.
• Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world.

What is a cool fact about Italy?

The Alps mountain range form part of Italy’s northern border, and for a long time, protected the peninsula from invasion. Italy has three active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Etna, and Stromboli. Naples is the largest city in southern Italy. Next to Rome, Milan is the second-largest city in Italy.

What does Italy mean in English?

From Middle English Italy, Italie, from Old English Italia (“Italy”), from Latin Ītalia (“Italy”), via Ancient Greek Ἰταλία (Ītaliā), from Oscan (Víteliú) (a name for the southwestern tip of the boot of Italy), meaning “land of bulls” in Oscan; usually assumed to be a cognate of vitulus (“calf”), despite the different …

What are the 3 main volcanoes in Italy?

Italy has three main active volcanoes: Etna on Sicily, Vesuvius near Naples and Stromboli, which shares the name of the small Sicilian island. Stromboli is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, according to Geology.com, and has almost been erupting continuously since 1932.

What are some interesting facts about Marco Polo?

15 Surprising Facts About Marco Polo. iStock. Born in the Republic of Venice in 1254, Marco Polo was a trader, traveler, and adventurer, who (probably*) journeyed to Central Asia and China in an era when vast swaths of the world were still uncharted and just traveling to a neighboring town could take you days.

How did Marco Polo describe the creatures he saw on the trail?

He described the latter, for instance, as giant, sharp-clawed “serpents” that could “swallow a man … at one time.” But the traveler often confused these strange faunae with creatures from myth and legend. One of the first Europeans to glimpse an Asian rhinoceros, Polo thought the horned beasts were unicorns.

Did Marco Polo work for the Venetians?

Kublai, who generally relied on foreigners to administer his empire, took Marco Polo into his court, possibly as a tax collector. At one point, the Venetian was sent on official business to the port city of Hangzhou (then called Quinsai), which, like Venice, was built around a series of canals.

Did Marco Polo believe in magic?

HE BELIEVED IN SORCERY… Throughout his book, Polo describes encounters with magicians and sorcerers. At the court of Kublai Khan, Polo describes meeting astrologers who could control the weather from the palace rooftops, and magicians who made flagons of wine levitate at feasts.