Especially in the Po Valley numerous crops such as wine, olive oil and chestnuts are cultivated. The shores of Lake Garda in Veneto and the coasts of Liguria are lined with citrus trees. In the south of Italy there are numerous date palms, fig, pomegranate and almond trees. On the rainy west coast, typical evergreen plants and macchia thrive.

In the hinterland, mainly fruit trees are cultivated. The lower slopes of the Apennines, which extend over the entire peninsula, are characterised by chestnuts, cypresses and oaks, which are adapted to the rougher mountain climate. At higher altitudes, one mainly comes across pine and fir forests. But even if the natural vegetation in many places has had to give way to man-made cultural landscapes, Italy’s flora impresses with its special beauty. Some of the cultural landscapes, as in Tuscany, are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In countless national parks, such as the Parco Nazionale del Delta del Po in Veneto or the Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily, you will find a great variety of plants and animals – even under water.

The animal world of Italy

Like the vegetation of Italy, the fauna has been severely decimated by the reclamation of large areas. Wild ibex, ermine, chamois or marmots can be found mainly in the mountainous regions of Italy.