Velo Europe and cycling in Italy
Through Italy we ride our own Giro d'Italia, creating a route that is always packed with history and culture.
Most of Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea (7600 km of coastline).
It is also called the Apennine Peninsula, because the Appenines run from north to south ( longitudinal axis )
The Alps are located in the north of Italy and are, so to speak, the natural border with the neighboring countries of France - Switzerland - Austria - Slovenia.
Italy's largest river, the Po, flows from west to east and flows into the Adriatic Sea in a huge delta near Chioggia/Venice.
The small European states of Vatican City and San Marino are completely surrounded by Italy.
Italy has 2 large islands with Sicily and Sardinia, but also many other small islands.
Italy offers a long history as it was the base region of the Roman Empire with Rome as its capitol. Tuscany has been the base region for the Renaissance.
Italy is the country with the most active volcanoes with the most famous Vesuvius near Naples ( 1281 meters) and Aetna in Sicily ( 3323 m ).
Italy is famous for its cuisine (Mediterranean style), for its fashion, but also in general for a great economy - based on GDP the eighth largest in the world.
The Velo Europe stage system symbolically ends in Rome.
