12 Surprising Facts About Italy That Will Change the Way You See the Country
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Italy, one of the world’s most highly sought-after tourist destinations, is a fascinating country renowned for its rich history, unique culture, and world-famous cuisine. From the historic streets of Rome to the lush Tuscany landscapes, Italy captivates the heart with exciting stories and beautiful locations.
While many tourists know at least something about Italy, there is a treasure trove of trivia waiting to be discovered beyond the most famous tourist destinations. For example, did you know there are 350 types of pasta? If not, you’ve landed in the right place. In this article, we’ve listed 12 fun facts about Italy you might not know.
There Are Over 350 Types of Pasta
Let’s start by looking at this tasty fact about pasta. There’s no denying that pasta is one of the world’s most popular dishes. It doesn’t matter where you go; you’ll find a restaurant serving it. However, not many people realize how many different pasta types exist.
There are over 350 types of pasta, some of the most popular being spaghetti, penne, lasagna, and ravioli. While pasta is generally believed to have become popular in Italy during the 13th century, its history dates back to ancient and medieval times. According to Share the Pasta, Etruscan tomb paintings detailing natives eating pasta reveal its history dating back to the 4th century B.C.
Read also: Italian Travel Planning Tips
Italians Use Over 250 Hand Gestures
Another thing Italy is renowned for is hand gestures. While Italian is often considered one of the world’s most romantic languages, most people remember Italians for their expressive hand gestures. Incredibly, Italians use over 250 hand gestures in everyday conversation.
Interestingly, these iconic hand gestures are believed to result from Italy’s long history of being invaded by other nations that imposed their cultures, languages, and mannerisms. They were developed to communicate between people who didn’t share a common language. Common hand gestures you might observe when visiting Italy include “I don’t care,” “‘absolutely not,” “Please do me a favor,” and “Excellent.”
Read also: Surreal Places in Italy
Italy Is Home to the Smallest Country in the World
Despite being surrounded by Rome, Italy’s capital, Vatican City is its own country. In fact, it’s the smallest country in the world. The independent state has an area of approximately 0.19 square miles (0.49 square kilometers), making it much smaller than most major European cities.
Vatican City is smaller than Central Park in New York and the Mall of America in Minnesota. Vatican City might be small, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of Europe’s most famous tourist destinations. Inside Vatican City, you’ll find iconic historical and religious landmarks, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel.
Read also: Famous Landmarks in Italy
Italy Is the Fifth Most Visited Country in the World
With so many fascinating places to visit, warm weather in summer, and delicious food to tuck into, it’s no surprise Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide. However, did you know that Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world?
According to Visual Capitalist, Italy was Europe’s fourth most visited place in 2023 and the fifth most visited place globally, welcoming over 50 million tourists. Italy has such immense appeal to travelers that pinpointing one reason people visit is difficult. However, Rome is the nation’s most-visited destination with its rich history and beautiful architecture.
Read also: Best Things To Do in Rome
The Last King of Italy Ruled for 34 Days
Until 1945, Italy was a dictatorship, although it also had a royal family until 1946. Following the conclusion of World War II, Italy had a referendum to become a republic, and King Umberto II, who only took to the throne on 9 May 1946, was forced to give up his royal title on 12 June the same year.
Therefore, King Umberto II only served as King of Italy for 34 days. After abolishing the monarchy, he was exiled from Italy, forcing him to spend the rest of his life on the Portuguese Riviera. Despite being dubbed the “May King,” Umberto’s reign isn’t the shortest the world’s ever seen. In July 1830, Louis-Antoine of France, the last “Dauphin,” abdicated the throne within 20 minutes of succeeding his father.
Read also: Fairy Tale Villages in Italy
Over $1,000,000 Is Thrown Into the Trevi Fountain Each Year
The Trevi Fountain is a beautiful 18th-century landmark located in Rome’s Trevi district. The fountain was designed by architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762. One of Italy’s most famous tourist attractions, millions visit the fountain yearly to admire its beauty and throw coins in the water for good luck.
The sheer volume of visitors to the Trevi Fountain results in vast amounts of money being thrown into it. According to Euro News, approximately $3,000 in coins is tossed into the Trevi Fountain daily. That works out to more than $1,000,000 each year. Unsurprisingly, people have occasionally been caught trying to steal money from the fountain.
Read also: Amazing Places to Retire in Italy
Italy Is Home to the World’s Oldest University
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Italy is home to four of the top 10 oldest universities in the world, with the University of Bologna being the oldest worldwide. It was founded in 1088 and has been in continuous operation ever since. The University of Cambridge ranks second, opening in 1209.
Meanwhile, the other three Italian universities on the list are the University of Padua, the University of Naples Federico II, and the University of Siena. Many famous Italians have visited or attended the university, including Umberto Eco, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Francesco Rizzoli, and Luigi Zamboni, after whom the street the university sits on is named.
Read also: Tourist Do’s and Don’ts When Visiting Italy
The Italian Police Use Lamborghinis
The coolest fact on our list is that the police force in Italy uses Lamborghini vehicles. We can’t imagine criminals trying to escape from a Lamborghini police vehicle having much chance. Admittedly, only several Lamborghini Huracan police vehicles have been used by police in Italy, but that doesn’t stop it from being impressive.
What makes this story even cooler is that the Lamborghinis used by the Italian police have been kitted out with specialized accessories, including an armored weapon box, a flip-down message display, and a defibrillator. According to Drive, the Italian police have also enlisted the help of a Lamborghini Urus Performante super SUV for high-speed and safe transportation of organs and plasma.
Read also: Tourist Traps To Avoid in Italy
The World’s First Pizzeria Opened in Italy in 1830
The story of pizza is long and complicated, with its origins being surprisingly complex. From the Greeks and Egyptians to the Indians and Italians, many incarnations of pizza have been served throughout history, including flatbreads, naan, and the classic pizzas we eat today.
However, the original pizza was most likely born in Naples, where the world’s first pizzeria was opened in 1830. First established in 1738, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba started as a street vendor because pizza was initially sold as a dish for poorer people. After much success, the Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba pizzeria opened on Via Port’Alba 18 in the town center. Impressively, the pizzeria is still open today, so why don’t you pop in for a slice?
Read also: Capri, Italy
Italy Has Three Active Volcanoes
Away from Italy’s popular cities lie breathtaking natural landscapes featuring lush rolling hills, wine vineyards, and picturesque beaches. However, arguably the most iconic natural sights in Italy are the country’s active volcanoes, of which there are three: Mount Vesuvius, Mount Stromboli, and Mount Etna.
Mount Etna is Italy’s most active and one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It’s in an almost constant state of activity. However, Italy’s most well-known volcanic eruption occurred at Mount Vesuvius in Southern Italy in 79 AD. Known as one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in history, Vesuvius’ eruption buried the Roman settlements of Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabiae, and, more famously, Pompeii, which is now a famous historical landmark. It’s believed up to 16,000 died during the eruption.
Read also: Spectacular Beach Destinations in Italy
13 of Shakespeare’s Plays Were Set In Italy
William Shakespeare is a famous English playwright, poet, and actor born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England in 1582. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. You’ll likely know him best for Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
While most of Shakespeare’s plays were set in England, he had a passion for Italy. Of his 38 plays, 13 were set wholly or partly in Italy. For example, Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, and Julius Caesar is set in Rome. In Verona, you can still visit “Juliet’s Balcony,” which was said to inspire Shakespeare’s play.
Read more: Venice Travel Guide
Pinocchio First Appeared in an Italian Magazine
Today, we recognize Pinocchio as a Disney character. After all, Disney produced the films. However, his origins tell a very different story. Before appearing in Disney, Pinocchio first appeared in an Italian children’s magazine called Giornale per i Bambini.
Italian author Carlo Collodi wrote the story, which was originally called The Story of a Puppet or La storia di un burattino in Italian. It was first published in the magazine in 1881 and then published as a book in 1883. However, Pinocchio rose to stardom in 1940 when Disney released the story as an American animated movie. Now, it’s a beloved classic.
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