Ashley's+Europe+Project

=Italy= toc

Italy is a southern European country, with many famous foods, an artistic background, and a unique geography peninsula. Italy is well known as its unique boot shaped peninsula. Italy has many spectacular views of its mountains, cities, and lakes. Italy is surrounded with many people with unique traditions. Italy is famous for its fashion/art and food. Some famous fashion brands are Gucci, Versace, and Prada. Leonardo da Vinci is well known all over Italy and worldwide. Italy has famous foods, such as pasta and Risotto. Italy is a wonderful country with an amazing background.
 * (This is a map of Italy.)**

Geography
Italy is located in southern Europe. Italy has a unique peninsula, that is shaped like a boot. Italy borders France, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, San Marino, and Vatican city. Italy has a total area of 116,350 square miles. Italy´s population is about 58 million people. Italy is a little larger than Arizona in the US. In Italy, the highest peak is Mont Blanc at 15,780 ft above sea level. A little over 40% of Italy is surrounded my mountains. Extending across northern Italy are the Dolomite mountains. The Dolomite mountains are part of the alps mountains. In the center of Italy are the Apennine mountains. The Po Valley, located in southern Italy, is the largest plain in Italy with 18,000 square miles.
 * (These mountains are the Dolomite mountains located across northern Italy.)**

Two large islands in Italy are Sicily and Sardinia. The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is the Sicily. Sicily has active volcanoes and earthquakes. Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The Garda is a large and major lake in Italy. It is 143 square miles. The Po river is Italy´s main river. It flows from the Italy´s western border and goes through the Adriatic Sea. The Po river helps with trading. Italy has two independent countries, Vatican City and San Marino. Major cities in Italy are Rome, Milan, Venice, Genoa, and Naples.

[[image:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Leonardo_da_Vinci_-_Mona_Lisa.jpg width="261" height="384"]]
Italy has a diverse variety of the arts. A famous Italian artist is Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci, Italy. He is an artist who is well known for his artistic works called, “The Last Supper” and “The Mona Lisa.” Many famous sculptures can be found in Italy. Most of these sculptures were made during the middle ages or the Renaissance. A famous sculptor was Donatello. Donatello was born in Florence, Italy. His sculpting artwork was extraordinary. He even reinvented unique ways of sculpting. In his sculptures he told a story and showed a lot of emotion. Fashion is a big art feature in Italy. Many famous brands are from Italy. It is one of the top fashion designing countries in the world. Fashion has been growing in Italy since the 11th century.
 * (This is a painting of the Mona Lisa done by Leonardo da Vinci.)**

Italy has many different types of music options. Music in Italy includes as following: religious music, Trovatori and Folk Music, Classical Music, Opera, Instrumental Music, and Modern Pop. Music is really important in Italian culture. The violin and piano have been invented in Italy. Also born in Italy was the musical scale, the art of Opera, and many music terms. Music in Italy is used differently for everyone. For some people they use music for stress relief and for others they use it for an entertainment.

Food
Italy has many famous foods. Many Italian cuisines are inspired by the history and traditions of Italy. Each region of Italy has its own special, unique type of foods. The diversity in the food growth in Italy began when the Roman Empire fell. When this happened, Italians began growing traditions in their cuisines. Each city in Italy began to find different and unique ways of cooking. Different types of bread, pasta, and food preparations changed all around Italy. Each region in Italy now has its own tradition of cooking their cuisines, based on their history and culture.
 * (This is a famous dessert in Italy called Cassata.)**

A famous food in Italy is Risotto. Risotto is a type of rice topped with different types of meats and vegetables. To make Risotto it must be coated with oil or butter. Broth is added slowly into the mixture while cooking. Broth helps it get its texture. The rice also has to be toasted. Veneto, Italy is the most common region in Italy where you can find Risotto. A famous dessert in Italy is the Cassata. Cassata is made of Italian ricotta cheese, a sponge cake texture, and is filled with vanilla or chocolate. Italy has famous cuisines that are used worldwide.

"Welcome to Yourguidetoitaly.com." Welcome to Yourguidetoitaly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.
"Italian Culture: An Introduction to Italy." Italian Culture: An Introduction to Italy. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.