Italy

Italy
Game Modes	Hostage Rescue, Casual
Scenario	Hostage Rescue
Teams	SEAL Team 6 vs. Phoenix Connexion
Hostages	2
Creator	Valve
First Appearance	Counter-Strike Beta 1.0 (1999)

Italy (cs_italy) is one of the oldest maps in Counter-Strike history, appearing in the original Counter-Strike beta in 1999. It is a hostage rescue map set in a small Italian village, and one of the few hostage maps to remain in the Counter-Strike 2 map pool.

Overview

Italy takes place in a picturesque Italian town with narrow cobblestone streets, a central market area, apartments, and a wine cellar. Counter-Terrorists must navigate the village to locate and rescue two hostages held by the Terrorists.

The map is known for its atmospheric design, with warm Mediterranean lighting, terracotta rooftops, and detailed building interiors. It has been a fan favorite for casual play since the earliest days of Counter-Strike.

Layout

Italy features a compact village layout with multiple routes between the CT spawn and the hostage locations:

Key Areas

CT Spawn — Starting area for Counter-Terrorists, located at the edge of the village
Market — Central open area with market stalls, a major crossroads
Apartments — Multi-story residential buildings connecting mid to hostage areas
Wine Cellar — Underground area leading to one hostage location
T Spawn / Hostage Area — The Terrorist-held zone where hostages are located
Long Hall — Extended corridor providing a flanking route
Balcony — Elevated position overlooking the market area

Strategy

Counter-Terrorist

Controlling the Market area provides access to multiple approach routes
Using flashbangs through apartment windows can clear common Terrorist positions
Splitting into multiple groups forces Terrorists to defend multiple angles
Speed is important — the longer the round goes, the harder rescue becomes

Terrorist

Setting up crossfires in the hostage area makes rescue extremely difficult
AWP positions on long sightlines can shut down CT approaches
Rotating to aggressive positions in Market can catch CTs off guard
Using incendiary grenades on chokepoints delays rescue attempts

History

Italy has undergone numerous visual updates across Counter-Strike versions:

CS 1.0-1.6 — Original cramped layout with dated textures
CS:Source — Significant visual upgrade with Source engine
CS:GO — Modernized with updated lighting and textures
CS2 — Rebuilt with Source 2 engine improvements

Despite never being part of the competitive Active Duty pool, Italy remains one of the most recognized and beloved maps in the franchise.

Trivia

Italy is one of only two maps from the original CS beta still available in CS2 (the other being Dust II)
The map features a working radio in the T apartment that plays Italian music
A chicken can be found wandering the village — one of the first instances of chickens in Counter-Strike
The wine cellar area was added in later versions and is not in the original 1999 layout