Italy is the land of ?la dolce vita? (the sweet life). This distinctive boot-shaped peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea is a feast for the senses. Surrounded by water on three sides, Italy's 5,345 miles of coastline offers everything from quaint fishing villages to trendy resorts on the Italian Riviera. The north is dominated by 2 mountain chains, the Alps and the Apennines, with large lakes like Lake Maggiore and Lake Como in the foothills. Below, the vast Po Valley plain stretches into the distance and the River Po flows into the Adriatic Sea through a magnificent delta. It is a region of highly developed industrial cities and cultural masterpieces. Think Florence and the romantic Venice and Verona in the north-east. Capital city Rome ?the eternal city? is a chaotic, sensuous, and addictive place. It is an ecletic mix: the religious world centre of Catholic Church, the fabulous ruins of the centre of the Roman Empire, and modern, sophisticated metropolitain hub. Further south life is rougher round the edges. Naples Bay rounds out any trip to Italy with an antipasto misto of travel thrills ? it is the birthplace of pizza, Sophia Loren and the Camorra, Naples' "family" of organized crime. South of Naples is the gateway to the much-drooled-over Amalfi Coast, from the jet-setting island of Capri to stunning Amalfi towns, like ancient Pompeii or even more ancient Paestum. Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of the island of Sicily. In this fascinating country the people truly live the "la vita Italiana".This is Italy.