National Geographic Daily

Venice Carnival
Photo: Mariusz Smiejek

Carnival revelers take a break at one of Venice’s countless sidewalk cafes. As European influences continue to trickle in from the north, Italy is experiencing a reinvention across its large cities. However, as home to the eternal city of Rome and some of the world’s greatest art and architecture, the country still clings to the roots that have provided the region’s lifeblood for centuries.