German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has begun his vacation in Italy, the German government said Wednesday.

Schroeder and his family flew to Italy on Tuesday evening and are vacationing at the villa of his artist friend Bruno Bruni in the Adriatic village of Pesaro, said a German government spokesman.

According to German press reports, Schroeder will go to Poland on August 1 to take part in a commemoration for the Warsaw Uprising against Nazi Germany 60 years and afterwards resume his vacation in Italy until August 11.

Schroeder had to cancel his vacation in Italy last summer to protest against remarks of then Italian State Secretary Stefano Stefani, who complained that German tourists were "too noisy" and "super-nationalist".

Stefani later stepped down after strong protests from the German government.

Source: Xinhua