How well do you know Italy? Here’s a quiz which will put your knowledge to the test. Leave your answers in the comments section.
1. Roughly how many inhabitants does Italy have: a. 40million, b. 50million, c. 60million, or d. 70million?
2. Which city is famous for its romantic songs?
3. On which Italian island was Napoleon exiled?
4. Which cities or regions are associated with: a. la Camorra, b. la ‘ndrangheta, and c. Cosa Nostra?
5. What are the main ingredients of la cecina, also known as farinata?
6. Who wrote La Divina Commedia?
7. What is the real name of the singer Jovanotti?
8. Which four countries share their borders with Italy?
9. Which composers of opera music wrote the following: a. Madama Butterfly, b. Rigoletto, and c. Il Barbiere di Siviglia?
10. What is the name of the Presidente della Repubblica?
11. Who built the first astronomic telescope in 1609?
12. In which city was the first Italian football club founded?
13. In many Italian towns there are roads called Via XX Settembre, what does this name commemorate?
14. What does the acronym FIAT, used by Italy’s most famous car manufacturer, stand for?
15. What is the name of the Venetian traveller who went to China in the 13th century, remaining there for 13 years in the service of the great Khan?
16. What do Giorgio Armani, Miuccia Prada, and Laura Biagiotti all have in common?
17. Which regions produce the following wines: a. Soave, b. Chianti, and c. Marsala?
18. What was the name of the population that inhabited the area of Toscana and Lazio before the Romans?
19. Which directors made the following films: a. L’Ultimo Tango a Parigi, b. Per un Pugno di Dollari, c. La Dolce Vita?
20. The following Italian bridges can be found in Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Verona, and Bassano del Grappa. What are their names?
a. 
b. 
c. 
d. 
e. 
Comments:
Arthur Sgalia:
D
Napoli
Elba
Napoli, Calabria, Sicily
?
Dante
?
France, Switzerland, Austria, San Marino, and…. The Vatican, no?
Verdi, ??
?
Galileo
Fabricato I A Turino
Marco Polo
Designers
?
Veneto, Toscano, Sicilia.
Etruscans
?
Ponte Sospiri
Ponte Vecchio
??
gina:
Number 14 Fix It Again Tony: FIAT
noname:
1.60 million
2.Venezia
3.-
4. a. la Camorra-NAPOLI
b. la ‘ndrangheta-CALABRIA
c. Cosa Nostra-SICILY
5.-
6.Dante
7.Lorenzo Raccolta
8.Slovenia- France-Switzerland-Austria
9.
10.
11.Gelileo
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. a. Soave-Verona
b. Chianti-Toscana
c. Marsala-Sicily
18.
19. a. L’Ultimo Tango a Parigi-Bernardo Bertolucci
b. Per un Pugno di Dollari-Sergio Leone
c. La Dolce Vita-Federico Fellini
20. c-Ponte Vecchia
d-Ponte San’t Angelo
Sofia G.:
Ciao da Russia! Grazie per questo quiz interessante! Le mie risposte sono:
1) c. 60million
2) Napoli
3) Elba
4) a. la Camorra – Napoli, b. la ‘ndrangheta – Calabria, c. Cosa Nostra – Sicilia
5) farina di ceci, acqua, sale e olio di oliva
(pea flour(?), water, salt and olive oil)
6)Dante Alighieri
7)Lorenzo Cherubini
8) Francia, Svizzera, Austria e Slovenia
(it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia).
Also internally – San Marino and the Vatican City (enclaves within Italy)
9) a. Madama Butterfly – Giacomo Puccini, b. Rigoletto – Giuseppe Verdi, c. Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Gioachino Rossini
10) Giorgio Napolitano
11) Galileo Galilei
12) Genova (Genoa)
13) The unification of Italy was completed on 20th September 1870
14) Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino
15) Marco Polo
16) Famous Italian high fashion designers
17) a. Soave -Veneto, b. Chianti – Toscana, c. Marsala – Sicilia
18) Etruscan civilization
19) a. L’Ultimo Tango a Parigi – Bernardo Bertolucci, b. Per un Pugno di Dollari – Sergio Leone, c. La Dolce Vita – Federico Fellini
20. a. Ponte di Castelvecchio/Ponte Scaligero (Verona)
b. Ponte dei Sospiri (Venezia)
c. Ponte Vecchio (Firenze)
d. Ponte Sant’Angelo (Roma)
e. Ponte degli Alpini (Bassano del Grappa)
Nathan:
1 – 40 million
2 – Napoli
3 – Elba
4 – Camorra – Napoli
– ‘ndrangheta – Basilicata
– Cosa Nostra – Sicilia
5 – Wheat
6 – Dante Alighieri
7 – Lorenzo Cherubini
8 – France, Austria, Hungary, Bosnia
9 – Butterfly – Puccini
– Rigoletto – Verdi
– Barbieri – Rossini
10 – Napolitano
11 – Galileo
12 – Milano
13 – Unification of Italia
14 – Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino
15 – Marco Polo
16 – Fashion
17 – Soave – Lombardy
– Chianti – Toscana
– Marsala – Campania
18 – Etruscans
19 – Federico Fellini
20 – a -?
– b – Bridge of Sighs
– c – Ponte Vecchio
– d – Bridge of Angels
– e – ?
Gordon:
1 – 60 million
2 – Napoli
3 – Elba
4 – Camorra – Napoli
– ‘ndrangheta – Basilicata
– Cosa Nostra – Sicilia
5 – Wheat
6 – Dante Alighieri
7 – Bon Jovi
8 – France, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, there are 5. Internally San Marino and Vatican City.
9 – Butterfly – Puccini
– Rigoletto – Verdi
– Barbieri – Rossini
10 – Napolitano
11 – Galileo
12 – Milano
13 – Unification of Italia
14 – Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino
15 – Marco Polo
16 – Fashion
17 – Soave – Lombardy
– Chianti – Toscana
– Marsala – Campania
18 – Etruria
19 – Federico Fellini
20 – a – Ponte Scaligero – Verona
– b – Bridge of Sighs
– c – Ponte Vecchio
– d – Ponte sant’Angelo – Rome
– e – Il Ponte degil Alpini – Bassano del Grappa
frank:
For 16, can it also be that all have shops along Via dei Condotti in Rome?
Ronny:
1-60 million
2 – Venezia
3 – Elba
4 – Camorra – Napoli
– ‘ndrangheta – Calabria
– Cosa Nostra – Sicilia
5 – Wheat – water – olive oil
6 – Dante Alighieri
7 – Lorenzo Cherubini
8 – France, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia
9 – Butterfly – Puccini
– Rigoletto – Verdi
– Barbieri – Rossini
10 – Napolitano
11 – Galileo
12 – Genoa
13 – Liberation of Roma
14 – Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino
15 – Marco Polo
16 – Fashion
17 – Soave – Lombardy
– Chianti – Toscana
– Marsala – Campania
18 – Etruscans
19-a -Bernardo Bertolucci
19 – b – Sergio Leone
19 – c – Federico Fellini
20 – a -Ponte Scaligero
– b – Bridge of Sighs
– c – Ponte Vecchio
– d – Bridge of Angels
– e – ponte degli alpini
Serena:
Siete tutti bravi. Forza, continuate così!
Serena
William Auge:
1-b
2-Nap oli
3- Elba
4-a)Napoli b-Calabria c) Sicilian
5-Carina
6-Dante
8-Ausrtia, Slovinia, Switzerland, France
9-Verdict, Bellini,????
10-Napolitano
11-Gallilio
William Auge:
12-Milano
13-Italy’s unification
14-??
15-Marco Polo
16)-designers
17-a) Veneto b)Tuscana c)Sicilian
18- Etruscans
19- a)? B)? C) Ponte Vecchio d)Ponte d’angeli e)?
JO Erstad:
1. c. 60million
2. Napoli
3. Elba
4. a. Napoli, b. Calabria, and c. Sicilia
5. Flour, ?
6. Dante Alighieri
7. ?
8. Francia, Swizzera, Austria and Slovenia
9. a. Verdi? b. Puccini? and c.
10. Napolitano
11. ?
12. Genova?
13. Italian unification (Porta Pia)
14.FI Automobile Torino?
15. Marco Polo
16. Fashion designers
17. a. Veneto, b. ?, and c. (West-)Sicilia?
18. Estruscans
19. c. Fellini
20. a. Ponte Pietro, Verona. B) Ponte dei Sospiri, Venezia. C) Ponte Vecchio, Firenze d) Ponte sant’Angelo, Roma e) Bassano del Grappa
Gene:
Thank you so much for your wonderful blogs; I look forward to them and learn a great deal from the wide range of topics that you discuss.
Just one comment on this last blog about the countries that border Italy: Since the independent countries of The Vatican and San Marino are completely within Italy, would they not share common borders?
Serena:
@Gene Salve Gene!
I would like to apologise to you and all the readers for my question about Italian borders. As some of you have pointed out, the Vatican and San Marino are independent countries and therefore share their borders with Italy, which would in fact make a total of six countries and not four. The confusion comes from the fact that us Italians normally only consider the external borders that separate Italy from the rest of Europe. In fact, until a few years ago, when we travelled we had to stop at the border with France, Switzerland, Austria or Slovenia, and show our passports or ID Card. We never had to do this to go to the Vatican or to San Marino, and we don’t have a feeling of separation from them, they are simply enclaves with no tangible border.
Saluti da Serena