ITALY is the place to be when celebrating Christmas. First of all, Italy is the host of the headquarters of Catholicism, the biggest Christian congregation in the world. Catholicism spans all four corners in the globe, from Iceland to Mozambique, from Tonga to New Zealand. Because of this reality, a lot of visitors come to Italy during Christmastime. Tourism is really a serious business in this country. Many Catholics from all nationalities converge at St. Peter’s Square during the mass offered by Pope Benedict XVI on Christmas Eve. This will surely give a boost to the tourism business in Rome like the hotels, the motels and even the vacation homes.

Even vacation homes at this part of the country are fully booked during the two weeks before and after Christmas. So reserve ahead online. These vacation homes are already networked with the most reputable travel agencies such as Travelocity and Expedia. To book, all you need to do is log in to the websites of these travel agencies and choose the best deals for you. Some of the better deals may come in bundled form, meaning plane tickets and hotel deals are already bundled into one. Plane tickets must be ordered as round trip tickets and not standalone ones because you may be stranded in that country.

To come here in Italy, you don’t need to have a visa if you come in from Europe. And also, if you come in by land from the borders with France, Slovenia, Switzerland and Austria, there will be no border guards who will accost you because of the 1977 Schengen agreement which virtually abolishes these outposts. You can either take a train or take your own car. Just make sure you know the nearest gas station and you have someone to accompany you so you won’t fall asleep behind the wheel.

During the season of Christmas, Italy will be abundant with snow especially in the cities and in the skiing regions. So if you want to go cross-country skiing in Italy, make sure to have the proper gear with you. And lest you forget that if you have children, teach them how to ski properly at the earliest possible period in their life. Children’s limbs are still fresh at this stage and children can easily skate properly. Who knows, your child may become a ski champion in the future. But to make sure you have the right stuff in training your child, never ever attempt to train him or her if you’re not an accomplished skier yourself. Only select the most reputable trainers. There are lots of those in the Pyrenees in Spain and in the Alps in Switzerland but other ski schools can now be found in Italy. Italy is after all a treasure not yet wholly developed. There are still lots of surprising and enchanting stuff in Italy that are waiting to be found. Other places that are worth visiting in Italy are Venice (the only pedestrian city in the world and the only city in the world sitting on a lagoon) and Tuscany, known for its wine. Off the coast of Italy you can find Palermo, the capital of Sicily – said to be home of the Mafia although this has largely been an urban legend. Folks are actually friendly here.