No one should underestimate the contribution that Italy has made to the world. Its capital, Rome, was at the heart of an empire that stretched throughout Europe and beyond. Today’s United Kingdom was its furthest point in the north while it covered the shores of North Africa, Egypt, Turkey and parts of the Middle East. Roman Catholicism’s home is Vatican City within Rome, while the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th Centuries found a home in Italy.

Each of these aspects of Italy provides compelling reasons to take a vacation there, and ideally, more than one. Add the quality of Italian cuisine, and you can see why this Mediterranean country welcomes so many visitors each year.