1. BY ABBY NORTON AND MARY CLAIRE PADDOCK

2. ROME, ITALY

3. THE POPULATION OF ITALY IS 60,221,211.

5.  ITALY HAS A GREAT DIVERSITY OF CLIMATE RANGES FROM FRIGID IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ALPS TO SEMITROPICAL ALONG THE COASTS. RAINFALL MAINLY OCCURS DURING THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS WHEN THE WESTERLY WINDS PREVAIL.

6.  ITALY IS KNOWN FOR ITS PIZZA, PASTA, CHEESE, AND WINE.

7.  THE MUSIC OF ITALY RANGES ACROSS A BROARD SPECTRUM OF OPREA AND INSTRUMENTAL CLASSICAL MUSIC AND A BODY OF POPULAR MUSIC DRAWN FROM BOTH NATIVE AND IMPORTED SOURCES.

8.  LIKE MOST AMERICANS, ITALIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, EASTER, AND NEW YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO CELEBRATE FERRAGOSTO ON AUGUST 15. FERRAGOSTO IS A CELEBRATION OF THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND THE END OF THE HARD LABOR IN THE FIELDS. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CELEBRATES THIS DAY AS A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION.

9.  SOPHIA LOREN, ROUDOLPH VALENTINO - ACTORS  LEONARDO DA VINCI - ARTIST  ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO-FOOTBALL PLAYER (SOCCER)  GUCCIO GUCCI - FASHION DESIGNER

10. THE COLOSSEUM THE COLOSSEUM THE COLOSSEUM IS AN ELLIPTICAL AMPHITHEATRE IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY OF ROME AND IS THE LARGEST EVER BUILT IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. IT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING. 

11. TREVI FOUNTAIN TREVI FOUNTAIN THE TREVI FOUNTIAN IS A FOUNTAIN IN THE TREVI RIONE IN ROME, ITALY AND STANDS 25.9 METERS HIGH AND 19.8 METERS WIDE. IT IS THE LARGEST BAROQUE FOUNTAIN IN THE CITY AND ONE OF MOST FAMOUS FOUNTIANS IN THE WORLD. TRADITION HAS IT THAT IF VISITORS THROW A COIN INTO THE FOUNTAIN, THEY ARE ENSURED A RETURN TRIP TO ROME.

12. THE PANTHEON THE PANTHEON THE PANTHEON (A GREEK ADJECTIVE MEANING “TO EVERY GOD”) IS A BUILDING IN ROME, COMISSIONED BY MARCUS AGRIPPA AS A TEMPLE TO ALL OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT ROME.

13. LEANING TOWER OF PISA THE TOWER OF PISA IS A FREE STANDING BELL TOWER OF THE CATHEDREAL OF THE ITALIAN CITY OF PISA. THE TOWER LEANS ABOUT 3.99 DEGREES. THIS MEANS THAT THE TOP OF THE TOWER IS DISPLACED HORIZONTALLY 3.9 METERS FROM WHERE IT WOULD BE IF THE STRUCTURE WAS PERFECTLY VERTICLE.

14. PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI

15. THE CURRENCY UTILIZED IN ITALY IS THE EURO. THE EXCHANGE RATE FOR ONE U.S. DOLLAR INTO EUROS IS U.S. $1.00 EUROS $0.704636.

16. May 1, 2011 (Dallas – Rome)  DEPART: 10:35 a.m. – American Airlines 2491 (1 stop)  ARRIVE: 12:15 p.m. (May 2) – Rome Flumicino Airport May 19, 2011 (Rome – Dallas)  DEPART: 10:11 a.m. – Alitalia Flight 628 (1 stop)  ARRIVE: 9:20 p.m. – DFW Airport HOTEL: HOTEL COLOSSEUM TOTAL PRICE (FLIGHT & HOTEL)FOR 2 ADULTS$6,578.82

18. May 1, 2011 (Dallas – Rome)  DEPART: 5:24 p.m. – Delta 1862 (2 stops)  ARRIVE: 7:00 p.m. (May 2) – Rome Flumicino Airport May 19, 2011 (Rome – Dallas)  DEPART: 6:20 a.m. – Delta 9447 (1 stop)  ARRIVE: 1:55 p.m. – DFW Ariport HOTEL: Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese TOTAL PRICE (FLIGHT & HOTEL) FOR 2 ADULTS: $20,023.24