The famous elements of Italian culture are its art, music, style and iconic food. Throughout history, many notable explorers, scientists, and artists were born in Italy, such as Christopher Columbus, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, Antonio Vivaldi, Giuseppe Verdi, just to name a few. Italy is also the birthplace of opera and ballet.

Many well-known and influential civilizations, such as the Etruscans, Samnites Romans used to live on Italian territory, so today Italy has more than 100,000 historical monuments of all sorts such as museums, palaces, churches, art galleries, fountains, historic houses and archaeological remains.

Several world-famous cities can be found in Italy: the ancient capital of the Roman Empire and a cultural center of world relevance – Rome, the former center of the Renaissance – Florence, one of the world’s fashion capitals – Milan, the city of canals and carnival – Venice, home to the oldest university of the world and a place some of Italy's well-known pasta dishes, meats, cheeses and wines come from – Bologna.

Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world, and has rich collections of art, culture and literature.

Italy’s one of the most popular cuisines in the entire world and mostly known for being the home of pizza, pasta and ragù. Its cuisine is generally characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only two to four ingredients. It is also seasonal with priority put on the use of fresh products and preserving traditional recipes that have been passed down generations. 

Each Italian area has its own specialties, depending on the bordering country, whether the region is close to the sea or the mountains. Dishes are often defined by its regionality and named after the region – such as the famous bolognese sauce that originated from Bologna. 

The essential ingredients and the foundation of Italian cuisine are extra virgin olive oil, pasta, basil, tomatoes, Italian cheese, wine, garlic, capers, porcini mushrooms, and balsamic vinegar. The most famous, traditional Italian dishes are: Risotto Alla Milanese, Polenta, Lasagna, Ravioli, Arancini, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Neapolitan pizza, Caprese salad, Parmigiana, Tiramisù, Gnocchi, Sicilian swordfish, Ribollita, and Osso buco. 

The best way to enjoy authentic Italian food is by visiting the different Italian regions and tasting the culinary delights cooked straight from the source.

The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea, off the western coast of Italy and is named for the Tyrrhenian people in Italy.

The Sea is bounded by islands of Corsica and Sardinia, The Italian peninsula and the island of Sicily. It also includes a number of small islands like Capri, Elba and Ustica, which are excellent for visiting during a luxury yacht charter holiday in Italy.