Italy

At a Glance

Italy is a country that needs little introduction but never disappoints, a place where extraordinary art and architecture in Florence, Rome, and Venice coexist with a way of daily life centred on good food, coffee, and the pleasure of slowing down. Every region has its own dialect, cuisine, and character, from the Alps in the north to the sun-bleached baroque towns of Sicily. Those who can surrender to Italian time, rather than fighting it, will find it one of the most satisfying places on earth.

• Oldest average population in Europe, ahead of Greece and Spain.
• More UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country.
• GDP per capita has barely grown in 25 years — a structural stagnation, not a crisis.