Meridione

Southern Italy or Mezzogiorno (Italian pronunciation: [ˌmɛddzoˈdʒorno], literally "midday") is an economic macro-region of Italy traditionally encompassing the territories of the former Kingdom of the two Sicilies (the southern section of the Italian Peninsula and Sicily), with the frequent addition of the island of Sardinia. It generally coincides with the administrative regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Molise, Sicily, and Sardinia. Some also include the southernmost and easternmost parts of Lazio (the Sora, Cassino, Gaeta, Cittaducale and Amatrice districts) within the Mezzogiorno, since they were once part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The island of Sardinia, although for cultural and historical reasons having less in common with all the aforementioned regions, is frequently included as Southern Italy or Mezzogiorno, often for statistical and economical purposes.

Southern Italy carries a unique legacy of culture. It features many major tourist attractions, such as the Palace of Caserta, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and other archaeological sites (many of which are protected by UNESCO). There are also many ancient Greek cities in Southern Italy, such as Sybaris, which were founded several centuries before the start of the Roman Republic. Some of its beaches, woodlands and mountains are preserved in several National Parks; a major example is La Sila, a mountainous plateau occupying the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro in the region of Calabria.

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