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Explore Italy: Campania
Campania's region is the gateway to the south, this place has been enjoyed as a vacation spot since ancient times. Campania is limited on the north by Lazio and Molise, to the east by Puglia and to the south by Basilicata. The west of Campania is limited by the Tyrrhenian Sea and the gulfs, bays and rocky cliffs give the coastline some unbelievable vistas. The Bay of Naples is dominated by the infamous volcano Vesuvius; on the slopes below lay the remains of its most famous victims: Pompeii and Herculaneum. While Vesuvius occasionally takes its share of victims, the rich volcanic soil of Campania allows fruit, vegetables and grain to thrive. In this respect, the people of Campania have benefited much more to Vesuvius than have suffered from it.
Campania was established by Greek immigrants in the 8th Century BC, forming the first colony of Magna Grecia at Cuma. Over the centuries, both the Etruscans and the Samnites occupied portions of Campania before being absorbed by Rome. Byzantine and Lombard armies fought each other for control of Campania, but in the end, most of the major areas including Naples and Benevento became independent city-states.
The food of Campania is in many forms the food of Italy. The recipes that were originals to Campania have been adopted by the rest of Italy, if not the world. Campania is also the place of origin of the modern Pizza, with the world's first Pizzeria (still in business) started on the streets of Naples. The cooks of Campania were the first to use tomatoes, debunking the once common myth of their deadliness. Italian food would not be the same without Campania's Spaghetti topped with Pommarola, the famous tomato sauce.
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