1936 On the Continent

to luxury hotels like the Excelsior Gallia or the Principe e Savoia, there are countless good and medium class hotels. In April, when the Milan Fair is held, it is advisable to book accommodation well ahead, as during the Fair no rooms can be had either for love or money. As a good and reliable hotel we can recommend the Bertolin-Europa, which is more than a century old and is situated on the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, in the centre of the town, close to the Cathedral and the Scala. The principal popular centre of Milan is the 600 foot covered walk known as the Galleria. There are excellent cafés and restaurants—including the world-famous Savini and Biff restaurants—and also some smart shops along the Galleria. At noon and between 6 p.m. and midnight all Milan can be seen parading here. Quite close to the Galleria is the famous Milan opera house, the Scala, where excellent programmes are given throughout the winter, mostly with the collaboration of world-famous stars. If you enjoy brilliant surroundings, the sight of beautiful women in gorgeous evening attire, and canafford to pay about 100 lire for a stall, you simply must not miss any Scala premières that occur during your stay in Milan. Every première is an event, a worth-while spectacle and a memorable occasion. Another Milan theatre is the Lirico, where operettas, revues and, occasionally, operas are given.
    The Italian cinemas everywhere have many surprises in store for the foreign tourist. Milan—like most large Italian towns—is well provided with magnificent cinemas where the latest American films can be seen. But when you occupy your seat in the auditorium expecting to hear Clark Gable or Greta Garbo speaking to you in your native tongue you will hear them, instead, speaking in excellent Italian. The solution to this puzzle is an Italian law according to which all foreign films must be synchronised in Italian. Only Rome has a cinema (with which we will deal later) where foreign films may be performed in the original language. Cinema performances are continuous, as in England.
    There are ample opportunities for sport in Milan. Horse-racing on S. Siron goes on from April till October. The football matches, every Sunday, are rather exciting and provide the tourist with a sample of the Italian temperament. The tennis clubs are always pleased to receive visitors upon the recommendation of members (most foreign consuls are members or are acquainted with members). Milan naturally has swimming baths (for example, Piscina Mario Giurati), a skating rink, several fencing, boxing and other similar establishments.
    The most convenient shopping centres are the Corso, the Galleria and the Via Manzoni. The more noted Milan products include leather goods, gloves, silks, glass, porcelain. These goods are cheaper in Milan than in other countries and are worth purchasing, just like the world-famous Italian men’s hats.
The Lakes
    Milan is connected both by train and bus with the three large North Italian lakes, the Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como and Lago di Lugano. Particularly in spring and autumn, when the weather is most pleasant, the lakes are unforgettably lovely. At these seasons it often happens that while a smart crowd are sunning themselves on theshores of the lakes, the surrounding mountain tops are covered with thick snow. It is here, along the lakes, that you can really rest your nerves. If you want peace and quiet, however, do not go to the localities that are full of luxury hotels, but to the smaller places with their more modest establishments.
The Loveliest Lake
    Space forbids the enumeration of all the resorts round the lakes, and we will therefore confine ourselves here to the more important places. On the shores of Lago di Como the town of Como itself, which is very urban in character, shares the distinction of being one of the two most popular spring and autumn resorts with Belaggio. The Grande Bretagne and Grand Hotel Belaggio are much favoured by English and American visitors. Near Belaggio lies the village of Varenna, from where a lovely road leads to Fiumelatte. The latter has a waterfull which cascades down from a height of nearly 800 feet and which possesses one strange peculiarity—that it does not exist during certain periods of the year. It appears suddenly round March 25th and just as suddenly disappears on September 8th. Both events are celebrated by a colourful and interesting festival by the people of Fiumelatte.
    Tennis, boating, rod