Rome

301,230 km²
(7.2x the Netherlands)

UTC +1

Italian, German, French, Slovenian

Mont Blanc de Courmayeur - 4,765 m
(2nd summit Mont Blanc mountains)

The first time a green, white, and red flag was used was by the Cispadane Republic in 1796. The Cispadane Republic in northern Italy was founded in 1796 by Napoleon Bonaparte. Green, white and red are traditional Milanese colors. Red and white come from the Milanese coat of arms which is a red cross on a white background. Green was the color of the uniform of the Milanese civic guard.

The euro was introduced simultaneously in 12 European countries, as well as in Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City on 1 January 2002. This was the largest monetary exchange operation of all time. On the front of the note is a gate or window and a bridge on the back. These are all fictional. The euro replaces the Lire, introduced in 1861, which was known as the least valuable currency in Western Europe.

Early May is a good time to visit Sicily. There is an abundance flowers that could make Madeira jealous. The temperature is ideal for hiking. There are many remains of the islands rich history. Pantalica is a nature reserve where you walk across a former railway line that has been transformed into a strade bianci (white pebble path). It leads through a number of tunnels and in the surrounding limestone rocks approx. 5000 tombs are carved out. The necropolis was first by the Sicel around 1300 and 1000 BC.

Agrigento is the old Akragas. Greek settlers from Gela and Rhodes founded the city in 581 BC between the rivers Hypsas and Akragas. In the Valle dei Templi there are remains of a number Greek temples. Be sure to visit the museum with sculptures, helmets and beautifully painted vases. Outside there are five Greek temples on the edge of an abyss. The temple of Concordia (ca. 430 BC) is mostly intact because it was converted into a church in the 6th century. The oldest temple is that of Heracles from the 6th century BC.

It's possible to visit the Aeolian Islands by boat from Milazzo. Use the village Lipari on the island with the same name to discover the islands. It's a beautiful village where you can wander through beautiful narrow alleys.

Stromboli is a 3,000 meters high volcano which protrudes 918 meters above the sea. Magmatrek organizes tours to the top of the active volcano. Once at the top, you can look down on the lower crater where the lava fountain is preceded by gas clouds. Walking around the crater on Vulcano is also spectacular. On the north side you will find a large section of fumaroles.

Etna (Mongibello) is the highest point on the island at 3,323 meters. We made a hike on the north side from Piano Provenzano at 1,820 meters to the Osservatorio Etneo at 2,813 meters. Along the way you can admire countless craters and the bizarre landscape of this volcano. The north side is a lot quieter in terms of tourism than in Catania. It can be very cold because of the strong wind at this altitude, so be prepared.

The villa Romana del Casale is located near Piazza Armerina.700 years ago, the Villa disappeared under a thick mud layer that was caused by a landslide During excavation from 1950, the preserved mosaic floors were discoverd. There is not much left of the walls but the floors of the villa have mosaics with hunting, animal- and other scenes. One room is special: With a mosaic of a dozen ladies practicing sports. Here's the proof that the bikini is not a American invention, but Roman invention. Visit the villa as early in the morning as you can because the construction you walk over is not very wide and during the day it gets very crowded.

Villa Del Casale