Untold Italy · Friday, September 4, 2026
Author Ed Cutler highlights Italy's remarkable biodiversity, stating it holds a third of Europe's faunal species and half of its plant species. This richness is attributed to Italy's diverse topography, particularly the Apennine mountain range, which has allowed unique species to thrive despite centuries of human civilization.
“Italy really does have an unfair advantage when it comes to natural beauty.”
“It contains a third of all the faunal species that exist in Europe, half of all the plant species.”
“But I would argue that, again, coming back to your question about places to visit in Italy, then the extinct ones are just as fascinating in my mind.”