1936 On the Continent

Tom Pisano, who completed it. The structure is about 170 feet high and its greatest inclination is about 13 feet. In 1935 the soil under the tower began to settle further and it appeared that the building would at last collapse. However, by a complicated process, tunnels were bored to the foundations, which were reinforced with concrete, so that the Leaning Tower is safe once more. A spiral staircase leads to the top of the building, from where an excellent and interesting view can be obtained of the town and the surrounding country. There is nothing beyond the Dome and its precincts to visit in Pisa, and the tourist may therefore wish to continue to Viareggio, which is an hour’s journey from Pisa.
    Viareggio is the most popular resort on the western side and is visited by tens of thousands of Italians in the summer. There are a few luxury hotels and a large number of boarding-houses, all of which are mainly patronised by Italians. Forte de Marmi is close to Viareggio and is both quieter and less expensive. You can make interesting excursions from both localities, visiting the marble mountains of Carrara, or Puccini’s villa on the romantic Torre del Lago, or La Spezia, the most important Italian naval base, which is some 30 miles from Viareggia and which you may inspect if you are able to produce a reference.
Montecatini
    If you are travelling light, you can travel to Rome from Pisa through Lucca and Pistoia, or along the coast line through Livorno, Tarquinia and Civitavecchia. The former route is longer but more beautiful and interesting. The small, romantic Lucca, which is well known from the descriptions of the German poet Heine, is a charming place with magnificent churches and interesting art treasures. Some 15 miles from Lucca lies one of the most importantItalian health resorts, Montecatini Terme. Its chloride, sulphur and other springs are making this pleasant, charming little place world famous. It is specially recommended for gastric and liver complaints. A few years ago the Government completely restored the springs, while private enterprise has built excellent hotels, so that Montecatini to-day rivals the most famous watering-places of its kind. The main season lasts from the beginning of August till the end of September, when Montecatini is crowded with representatives of the Italian aristocracy and of the world of art, finance and politics.
    From Montecatini you can travel to Rome through Pistoia. If you choose the shorter route along the coast and have time to spare, you ought to stop at Taruinia and see the examples of Etruscan art at the museum and also the Necropolis.
Florence—Siena—Rome
    There is a direct train each day from Florence to Rome via Siena. The journey lasts seven and a half hours and leads through interesting and beautiful scenery. If you have the time you may wish to break your journey at the small station of Poggibonsi, from where you can take an omnibus to S. Gimignano and see the best preserved medieval castle in Tuscany. If you cannot spare the time you might prefer to break your journey at Siena, the city of St. Catherine and the most romantic place in Italy. Siena has preserved its medieval character to a greater extent than any other Italian city, and has many lovely medieval palaces, churches, public buildings and dwelling-houses. Siena is inhabited by the same charming, friendly race of Tuscans as Florence, but as Siena is one-eighth the size of Florence relations between foreign visitors and natives are even more direct and pleasant. There are many foreigners—particularly Englishmen and Americans—living permanently in Siena. They are mainly painters, sculptors and art historians. Most foreigners will find at least one compatriot at the foreign club at 34, Via del Montanini.
    The problem of board and lodgings is very easy to solve in Siena. There are many good and inexpensive hotels and boarding-houses. The best time to stay inSiena is the late spring and early autumn. A most interesting event is the medieval games—the
pallio
—held on July 2nd and August 16th. According to an ancient custom the seventeen councillors elected by the seventeen wards of the town walk through the streets in procession, wearing picturesque medieval dress, then ten knights fight for a flag, the
pallio
.
    Siena is, above all, an artistic town. Public interest is still directed to art and artists. Almost every stone embodies a work of art which the visitor cannot pass indifferently. I