1936 On the Continent

fishing, and swimming and yachting are the most popular sports in this region. The smart crowds of foreign visitors make frequent excursions to the fishing points and their
osterias
, where they can enjoy the famous culinary speciality of Como, the
misoltini
, a dish prepared from freshwater fish. But in addition to this, there are many similar dishes that visitors may wish to try.
    The loveliest of the three lakes is undoubtedly the Lago Maggiore. It is surrounded by mighty peaks of over 3,000 feet, and the climate is as mild in spring and autumn—and in some places, as in Pallanza, even in winter—as in the most sheltered corner of the Riviera. The most fashionable resort is still Stresa, facing the Isole Borromeo, the Isola Madre and the Isola Bella. The two largest hotels are the Isola Borromeo and the Regina Palace, in which you may only stay if “money is no object” with you. But there are several smaller hotels to suit the more moderate pocket. The Stresa beach is excellent, andthere is also a golf course—which has in recent years become historical—at a height of some 3,000 feet, with a magnificent view of the lake. It was here that, in the spring of 1935, the diplomatic representatives of England, France and Italy sought relief from their exacting labours at the Stresa Conference. Golf apparently has a beneficent effect on politics, for in spite of their conflicting interests an agreement was come to. But there may be another reason why the statesmen of Europe so frequently fix the North Italian lake district as the venue of their discussions—life is easier and far more pleasant here than anywhere else. If you wish to spend the whole of your holiday in one place you can hardly find a more beautiful spot than the North Italian lake district. There is only one danger, as far as the foreign visitor is concerned—once he has settled down on the shore of one of the lakes he may not be able to tear himself away until he absolutely must. Thus, if all you want is a peep at the lakes, make a day excursion from Milan. Even so you will have an opportunity of tasting the excellent lake fish, the
trota di lago
, the
pesce persico
and others, and also the famous rice dishes of Novarra.
Cremona
    I think that musicians, and particularly violinists, will be glad to make a pilgrimage to this Mecca of violin-making which lies some fifty miles from Milan. It was in Cremona that Stradivari and Amati and their descendants made such excellent violins in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that even present-day makers are unable to equal them. Such violins are worth fortunes, so it is understandable that there are very few of them left in Cremona. About two years ago the municipality of Cremona established a museum where the tools of the great violin-makers and a few specimens of their masterly work are preserved.
    Beyond Cremona, but on the same railway line, lies bounded by three lakes the lovely little town of Mantua, the ancient habitat of the Gonzagas and the scene of the story of Rigoletto and his tragic daughter. If you are in a hurry you had better not tarry in either of these two towns, for both are so charming, so fascinating that you might tarry too long. But this “danger” is alwayspresent wherever you go in Italy. At all events, you can see Cremona and Mantua between two trains on your way to Verona.
Lake Garda
    On the other hand, you must devote a reasonable amount of time to Lake Garda, which you can reach by
rapido
from Milan in two-and-a-half hours, travelling through Brescia and arriving at Desenzano del Garda. The lake is one of the most beautiful not only in Italy but in the whole world. A few years ago a magnificent motor road was built round the lake, and those who cannot spend much time in the district may travel round it in a day by one of the omnibuses starting from Desenzano. If you wish to stay at one of the resorts on the lake shore, particularly if it is in the spring or autumn, I recommend the south shore of the lake, as far as Limone and Macesine. In the summer a cold wind known as the
ora
blows every day, and Riva and Torbole are therefore more pleasant during the summer season. On the west shore of the lake Gardone is the most popular resort. Gabriele d’Annunzio, who is regarded as the greatest Italian poet living, has for years been living at Gardone, in a villa situated in the Vittoriale, which is full of warships and other grim war instruments. These can be inspected with a