ITALYBY

ABBY NORTONAND MARY CLAIRE PADDOCK

CAPITALROME, ITALY

POPULATION

THE POPULATION OF ITALY IS 60,221,211.

National Language

CLIMATE

ITALY HAS A GREAT DIVERSITY OF CLIMATE RANGES FROM FRIGID IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ALPS TO SEMITROPICAL ALONG THE COASTS. RAINFALL MAINLY OCCURS DURING THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS WHEN THE WESTERLY WINDS PREVAIL.

ITALIAN FOODS

ITALY IS KNOWN FOR ITS PIZZA, PASTA, CHEESE, AND WINE.

POPULAR MUSIC

THE MUSIC OF ITALY RANGES ACROSS A BROARD SPECTRUM OF OPREA AND INSTRUMENTAL CLASSICAL MUSIC AND A BODY OF POPULAR MUSIC DRAWN FROM BOTH NATIVE AND IMPORTED SOURCES.

ITALIAN HOLIDAYS

LIKE MOST AMERICANS, ITALIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, EASTER, AND NEW YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO CELEBRATE FERRAGOSTO ON AUGUST 15. FERRAGOSTO IS A CELEBRATION OF THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND THE END OF THE HARD LABOR IN THE FIELDS. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CELEBRATES THIS DAY AS A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION.

FAMOUS ITALIANS

SOPHIA LOREN, ROUDOLPH VALENTINO - ACTORS LEONARDO DA VINCI - ARTIST ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO-FOOTBALL PLAYER (SOCCER) GUCCIO GUCCI - FASHION DESIGNER

THE COLOSSEUMTHE COLOSSEUM IS AN ELLIPTICAL AMPHITHEATRE IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY OF ROME AND IS THE LARGEST EVER BUILT IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. IT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING.

TREVI FOUNTAINTHE TREVI FOUNTIAN IS A FOUNTAIN IN THE TREVI RIONE IN ROME, ITALY AND STANDS 25.9 METERS HIGH AND 19.8 METERS WIDE. IT IS THE LARGEST BAROQUE FOUNTAIN IN THE CITY AND ONE OF MOST FAMOUS FOUNTIANS IN THE WORLD. TRADITION HAS IT THAT IF VISITORS THROW A COIN INTO THE FOUNTAIN, THEY ARE ENSURED A RETURN TRIP TO ROME.

THE PANTHEONTHE PANTHEON (A GREEK ADJECTIVE MEANING “TO EVERY GOD”) IS A BUILDING IN ROME , COMISSIONED BY MARCUS AGRIPPA AS A TEMPLE TO ALL OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT ROME.

LEANING TOWER OF

PISATHE TOWER OF PISA IS A FREE STANDING BELL TOWER OF THE CATHEDREAL OF THE ITALIAN CITY OF PISA. THE TOWER LEANS ABOUT 3.99 DEGREES. THIS MEANS THAT THE TOP OF THE TOWER IS DISPLACED HORIZONTALLY 3.9 METERS FROM WHERE IT WOULD BE IF THE STRUCTURE WAS PERFECTLY VERTICLE.

CURRENT LEADER

PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI

EURO

THE CURRENCY UTILIZED IN ITALY IS THE EURO. THE EXCHANGE RATE FOR ONE U.S. DOLLAR INTO EUROS IS U.S. $1.00 EUROS $0.704636.

TRAVEL OPTION #1 (BUDGET)

May 1, 2011 (Dallas – Rome) DEPART: 10:35 a.m. – American Airlines 2491 (1

stop) ARRIVE: 12:15 p.m. (May 2) – Rome Flumicino Airport

May 19, 2011 (Rome – Dallas) DEPART: 10:11 a.m. – Alitalia Flight 628 (1 stop) ARRIVE: 9:20 p.m. – DFW Airport

HOTEL: HOTEL COLOSSEUM TOTAL PRICE (FLIGHT & HOTEL)FOR 2

ADULTS$6,578.82

HOTEL COLOSSEUM

TRAVEL OPTION #2 (LUXURY)

May 1, 2011 (Dallas – Rome) DEPART: 5:24 p.m. – Delta 1862 (2 stops) ARRIVE: 7:00 p.m. (May 2) – Rome Flumicino

Airport

May 19, 2011 (Rome – Dallas) DEPART: 6:20 a.m. – Delta 9447 (1 stop) ARRIVE: 1:55 p.m. – DFW Ariport

HOTEL: Sofitel Rome Villa BorgheseTOTAL PRICE (FLIGHT & HOTEL) FOR 2 ADULTS: $20,023.24

SOFITEL ROME VILLA BORGHESE