Do you want to learn some really interesting facts about Italy?
No question – this beautiful Mediterranean country in the south of Europe is one of if not the most charming in the continent. With its long history, high fashion, delicious food, and stunning attractions, it’s no surprise Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world.
This boot-shaped peninsula also comes with a pack-load of pretty fun stuff to boot. Read on to find out the things to know about Italy that make this country even more interesting.
Italy Facts To Know
Here are 15 interesting facts about Italy that are worth noting.
1. Rome is older than Italy
Modern Italy became a nation-state in 1861. Prior to its unification, the Italian peninsula was divided into kingdoms, duchies, and city-states. 85 years later, it became a republic.
The capital city, Rome, was founded in 753 BC, making it older than Italy by more than 20 centuries.
2. Italy has a 24-hour free wine fountain
Some dreams are made of free wine fountains. Well, in Italy, this is a reality.
In the town of Caldari di Ortona in the Abruzzo region of Italy, you can drink red wine from a fountain for free – courtesy of a local winery.
You can find the fontana di vino in the Dora Sarchese vineyard, about an hour from the city of Chieti. If you’re on a pilgrimage from Rome to Ortona, it’s right on the route of Cammino di San Tommaso. Stop by for some free wine.
3. About 3,000 euros are thrown into the Trevi Fountain every day
Thousands of tourists visit the beautiful Fontana di Trevi, one of Rome’s most famous fountains, to take part in a ritual coin toss.
It is said that one coin assures your return to Rome provided you throw it with your right hand over your left shoulder. A second coin promises romance. A third guarantees marriage.
These coins are collected every week and donated to charity.
4. The last king of Italy ruled for only 34 days
Known in Italy as the “May King,” King Umberto II became king after the abdication of his father. He only ruled for 34 days, ending up in exile in Portugal after Italy became a republic in June of 1946.
5. Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world
With a total of 58, Italy has the biggest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. China follows closely with 56 and Germany with 51.
This is one of the most interesting facts about Italy that make this country stand out.
6. Some buildings in Italy don’t have a 17th floor
Not only that, some Italian hotels don’t have room 17 either. And some Alitalia planes also do not have row 17.
Most Italians believe that 17 is an unlucky number. You can imagine the bad luck that Friday the 17th brings!
The reason for this is because the Roman numeral XVII creates the word “VIXI” when rearranged, which connotes death. VIXI translated from Latin means “I have lived” or “my life is over” / “I’m a goner.”
ALSO READ: • 14 Funny Italian Superstitions That Will Make You Smile
7. Two of the world’s smallest countries are within Italy
Photo by Max_Ryazanov via Wikimedia Commons
The State of Vatican City and the Repulic of San Marino are completely landlocked by Italy.
The tiny Vatican City in Rome is a sovereign nation, headed by the Pope. At just about .2 square miles and with less than 500 population, it is the smallest nation in the world.
San Marino, the world’s fifth smallest country, covers a land area of just 24 square miles. It is bordered by the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. There are about over 30,000 Sammarinese living in this serene enclave.
8. Italy has more earthquakes than any other European country
This is because almost the entire Italian peninsula is an earthquake zone. It also has three of Europe’s most active volcanoes.
9. There is an island in Italy so notoriously haunted that public access is prohibited
Photo by Marco Usan via Wikimedia Commons
The island of Poveglia sits in the South Lagoon between Venice and Lido, in the Italian region of Veneto.
For centuries it has been used as a quarantine colony for the diseased, dying and deceased. At times of plague, some of the still not-quite-dead ones were mistaken otherwise and burned on massive pyres.
The Poveglia Island is said to be so haunted that no visitors – locals or tourists alike – are allowed.
10. There is a submerged Jesus Christ statue in the Mediterranean Sea off San Fruttuoso, Italy
Il Cristo degli Abissi (Christ of the Abyss) is a bronze statue of Jesus Christ, placed on the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea in honor of the first Italian to use scuba diving gear.
The Christ of the Abyss has been submerged 17 meters under the waves since 1954.
11. Italy has more masterpieces per square mile than any other country in the world
… the most famous of which is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.
The Vatican Museum alone has galleries that stretch for over nine miles. Among its enormous collection of Renaissance art, Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel draw the most attention. These are easily the most impressive frescoes in the history of Western art.
12. You don’t have to tip restaurants in Italy
Lest you avoid weird looks from the service crew, it helps to know beforehand that you already pay the service charge when you eat at a restaurant in Italy. This service charge is called coperto and it ranges from 1 to 3 euros per pax.
This no-tipping-necessary rule is not limited to restaurants. It applies to cab drivers and bellhops as well.
13. 99.99% of homes and hotels in Italy have bidets
Yes, bidets are a mainstay in pretty much every Italian home and hotel. Bidets work better than toilet paper, so why not?
14. Italy houses the oldest university in the world
Having never been out of operation since its founding in 1088, the University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy, is the oldest university in the world. To this day it remains one of the most prestigious universities in Europe.
ALSO READ: • Italy’s Top Universities for International Students
15. There are only 21 letters in the Italian alphabet
The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are not part of the official Italian alphabet because they are used for words with foreign origins called “loanwords.” Examples of these loanwords would be “microwave” and “kebab.”
These five missing letters were deemed non-Italian. When Mussolini rose to power in Italy in 1920s, he banned the unfavored letters to “avoid polluting the Italian culture.”