The things you probably know about my country are ... art, culture, history, landscapes, food, fashion, design ...
But the thing you really should know is ... what's behind all that: an ingenious people who since Roman times, and even earlier, have been able to develop incredible technologies, extraordinary works of engineering, production techniques that nowadays make Italy the second European manufacturing country and the sixth world exporter of goods.
Over there, we think Kiwis are ... delicious green pulp fruits! Jokes apart, in my country, New Zealand and Kiwis are considered, respectively, a wonderful country and a very welcoming people.
Our national sport is ... football. Rugby is growing.
Make sure you avoid ... peak summer season when planning to enjoy some of our 8000km of beaches; opt for spring and autumn.
The weather is ... hot during the summer, cold during the winter, mild and temperate during spring and autumn.
Best way to get around is ... by train. Italy has a very updated high-speed network of trains.
A handy phrase you should know is ... "Io amo l'Italia!" That means "I love Italy!"