town itself is uninteresting. The environs are very beautiful, and attract to them great numbers of Milanese and other North Italians, who have many villas in the neighbourhood. The most beautiful part of Varese is that where the Grand Hotel is situated, about a mile outside the town. The hotel itself, which was formerly the Villa Recalcate, is in a delightful situation overlooking the Lake of Varese, and the little lakes of Monate and Comabbio, but the chief glory of Varese is the magnificent view from the terrace and grounds of the Grand Hotel of the Monte Rosa chain. "On fine evenings as the sun sinks, there is a most glorious revelation, the whole Alpine range stands out behind the lake against the crimson sky: Monte Rosa, Mont Blanc, Mont Cervin, and a hundred other peaks ending with Monte Viso."-Hare. There is no distant view of the Alps at all comparable with this, except, perhaps, the famous view of the Bernese Oberland from the cathedral terrace at

Berne.

Amongst other excursions to be made from the Grand Hotel at Varese is that to the SACRO MONTE, about three miles north of the town. (Carriage from the hotel 3.50 francs.) From the foot of the mountain a wide and wellpaved road leads up the hill (horse, 1.50 franc), but it is more convenient to walk, as one must constantly dismount to see the chapels. This road, which is 30 feet in width for the most part, and never less than 25, protected by stone balustrades on either side, winds up the side of the mountain, in numerous zigzags, and at each of the turns is a chapel, all different, and often of great architectural merit, containing a group of life-sized figures in terra-cotta, illustrative of some event of the Sacred His

tory, connected with the different mysteries of the Rosary. Hare calls it expressively-" a sort of terra-cotta Ober- Ammergau." The events are illustrated in the following order-1. The Conception. 2. The Annunciation. 3. The Visitation. 4. The Nativity. 5. The Circumcision. 6. Christ amid the Doctors. 7. The Agony in the Garden. 8. The Sepulchre. 9. The Flagellation. 10. The Crowning with Thorns. 11. The Bearing of the Cross, and the Coming of Scholastica. 12. The Crucifixion. 13. The Resurrection. 14. The Ascension. 15. The Day of Pentecost. 16. The Assumption. At the summit of the hill is the church of Madonna del Monte, containing terra-cotta groups of the Adoration of the Magi. The view from many places in the ascent, of the Alps on the one side, and the rich plain of Lombardy on the other, is exceedingly beautiful. Another interesting excursion from Varese is to Castiglione-di-Olone. (The distance is 63 miles, carriage 8 francs.) The collegiate church and baptistery contain frescoes by Masolino, those in the church representing scenes from the lives of Mary, St Stephen, and St Lawrence; those in the baptistery, scenes from the life of John the Baptist. Within easy walking distance of the Grand Hotel is the Colle Campiglio, a height 13 mile to the south, on the road to Laveno. The Lago-diVarese is 2 miles. (Restaurant on the shore.) Several of the villas of the nobility in the neighbourhood are shown to visitors. One of the most beautiful is that of the Prince of Castel Barco, 2 miles from the hotel. The view from its terrace is very fine. There are a number of other excursions to be made in the neighbourhood of Varese, for which excellent carriages and horses are

furnished by the manager of the hotel at reasonable rates.

The road from Varese to Laveno (12 miles) is an agreeable one, and passes a great number of pleasant villas. During part of the way, Monte Rosa is visible. Laveno is a steamboat station (see also Route 107). Small boats may be had here to the Borromean Islands, with three rowers, for 10 or 12 francs. Time to the Isola Bella, 1 hour.

Here is the chief dockyard of the Italian Government. The town attracts many visitors in summer for the sea baths, and in winter by the mildness of its climate. Passing Sarzana (68 miles), we reach Avenza (74 miles), where a branch line goes off to

[CARRARA, which is reached in 12 minutes from Avenza. It is well worth visiting for its interesting marble quarries, and the studios of the many sculptors who reside there. The marble works employ 6000 workmen.]

Passing Massa (79 miles), Pietrasanta (85 miles), and Viareggio (91 miles), we reach PISA, which is fully described in Route 177 below.

ROUTE 172.

GENOA TO PISA.

Distance, 105 miles; fares, first, 18.15; second, 13.60.

HIS route is along the Riviera di Levante, the scenery of which resembles that of the Riviera di Ponente. As on the route from Genoa to Nice, the line is carried through many promontories by means of tunnels, of which latter there are more than eighty. For nearly the whole distance there are beautiful views of the Mediterranean.

One of the first stops is at NERVI (Pension Anglaise) (7 miles), a small town in the midst of lemon groves. It has a warm climate, is well sheltered, and is becoming a favourite winter resort. Passing Rapallo (20 miles), and Chiavari (25 miles), both large towns, we reach SESTRI LAVANTE (29 miles), on a beautiful bay. The next town of importance is SPEZIA (57 miles), (Hotels: Croce di Malta, Italia), beautifully situated on the Gulf of Spezia. Its harbour is one of the best in the Mediterranean.

ROUTE 173.

MILAN TO FLORENCE
(AND BRINDISI.)

217 miles; 1st class, 37.30 francs; 2nd, 30.25 francs; 3rd, 22:35 francs.

FTER leaving Milan we pass through a low marshy district, planted chiefly with maize and rice. Passing Melegnano and Tavazzano, we reach

LODI (20 miles), (Hotel I Sole.) It is situated on the Adda, in the midst of a very fertile country. The place is celebrated as the scene of the storming of the bridge over the Adda by Napoleon, on the 10th May 1796. The Duomo is a handsome building, in the Lombard style. The columns of the porch rest upon griffins. The walls near the high altar are adorned with good

paintings. There is a fine basrelief of the Last Supper. The Church of the Incoronata, in the style of the Renaissance, dates from the 15th century. It is octagonal in form, and contains some fine paintings. The surrounding district is famed for the production of the cheeses called Parmesan. Passing some unimportant places, we reach

PIACENZA (43 miles), (Hotel: Croce Bianca). The Piazza de' Cavalli contains the bronze equestrian statues of Alessandro and Ranuccio Farnese, members of one of the great ruling families of Italy. The Duomo, situated in a street leading out of this square, is in the Lombard style, and was built in the early part of the 12th century. The porticos are very handsome. The Campanile is a square brick tower, about 200 ft. high. The interior of the church is adorned with statues, woodcarvings, bas-reliefs, frescoes, and paintings.

The churches of Santa Maria della Campagna, San Sisto, and Sant' Antonino contain good paintings. The famous "Madonna in the Dresden gallery was painted by Raphael for the church of San Sisto.

""

The Palazzo Farnese, in the northern quarter of the town, once a beautiful building, is now a barrack. The Palazzo dei Tribunali has a beautiful facade of brick, the windows and cornices of which are in terra cotta.

Piacenza contains some good private collections of paintings. Among the numerous charitable institutions of the place are the Instituto Gazzola, and the Ospedale Grande. Leaving Piacenza, we reach Borgo san Donino (65 miles). The Duomo is richly adorned with medieval sculp

tures.

PARMA (78 miles), (Hotels: della Croce, de la Poste), was for

merly a Roman colony. In the middle ages it was the seat of the Guelphs. It is situated on the river of its name. The Duomo is a handsome structure in the Lombard style; the principal entrance on the facade is adorned with figures of lions in red marble, one holding down a bull, the other a serpent, and with allegorical sculptures and inscriptions. The interior is decorated with numerous frescoes and with some good paintings. The subterranean church, beneath the Duomo, is supported by twenty-eight marble columns. It contains some good sculptures and frescoes. The Baptistery is of grey and red marble, ornamented with tiers of columns and richly sculptured portals. The vault has twenty-four windows, the walls between them being covered with paintings in good preservation. The stalls are finely inlaid. The Convent Church of San Giovanni Evangelista contains some good frescoes by Correggio and others. The churches of the Madonna della Staccata and San Lodovico are adorned with sculptures and frescoes. The Farnese Palace contains the Academy of Fine Arts, consisting chiefly of the gallery of paintings, 600 in number, among which are works of Raphael, Murillo, Correggio, Titian, and the Caracci. Here is also a Museum of Antiquities, and a Library. The Palazzo del Giardino, on the opposite side of the river, contains good frescoes, chiefly of mythological subjects, and a collection of portraits of members of the principal families of Parma. Ducal Garden, laid out in the old French style, is open to the public.

The

Leaving Parma we presently reach REGGIO (95 miles), renowned as the birth-place of