by the Milanese over the Swiss in 1478. BIASCA (91 miles). Here the railway begins. Station one mile beyond the town.

Twelve miles farther is

BELLINZONA, a town of about 2,400 inhabitants, situated on the left bank of the Ticino, and the seat of the provincial government alternately with Lugano and Lo

carno.

It was strongly fortified in the middle ages, and was the key to the route from Lombardy to Germany. The fortifications have been partially restored.

Its three picturesque Castles, now partially in ruins, were the residences of the three Swiss bailiffs. Each possessed a small armament and a few troops. The largest,called the Castello Grande, on the west, belonged to Uri. Of the two on the east, the lower belonged to Schwyz, and the upper to Unterwalden. The neighbourhood has been the scene of frequent conflicts between the Italians and Swiss, the latter having become masters of the district in the beginning of the sixteenth century.

[From this point Milan may be reached either by way of the Lake of Como, or by the Lake Maggiore. Pursuing the firstnamed route, about five miles beyond Bellinzona, we leave the valley of the Ticino, and ascend Monte Cenere. The views from every point, especially from the summit, are beautiful and extensive.

LUGANO (111 miles), (Hotel: du Parc), with a population of 5,600, is beautifully situated on the north shore of the lake of the same name, which is 20 miles in length. It is entirely Italian in character, with dingy and dirty arcaded streets, but its

environs display all the richness of Italian scenery. The principal church, San Lorenzo, is built on an eminence, commanding a fine view. Another, Santa Maria degli Angioli, founded in 1499, is adorned with some remarkable paintings by Bernardino Luini. The town has a considerable trade in silk, being the principal entrepot for traffic between Italy and Switzerland.

The lake is very beautiful, and its shores present great variety of scenery. Small steamboats ply between the various ports and Lugano. By sailing to Porlezza much of the lake may be seen, and from thence chars or carriages may be hired to proceed to Menaggio, on Lake Como. A small diligence runs in summer.

This is the pleasantest way of reaching Como, and the drive is through a beautiful district.

COMO (150 miles). For a description of Como and its Lake, see Route 126.]

Travellers going to Lake Maggiore continue on by rail to LoCARNO (25 miles from Biasca), where steamer is taken to any point on the lake.

The LAGO MAGGIORE is about 45 miles long, and its average width is three miles. Its principal tributary is the Ticino, which retains its name on issuing from the lake at the southern extremity. It is also fed by the Toso, and the Tresa, the latter flowing from the Lago Lugano. Steamboats start from Mogadino, a few miles southeast of Locarno. They next touch

at

LOCARNO (Hotels: see "HOTEL APPENDIX"), population 2,982. It is situated on the western shore of the Lago Maggiore, amid groves of lemon and orange trees, vineyards, and other luxuriant vegetation. There are some

good pictures in the Collegiate Church. The Government House is a fine building. From the Pilgrimage Church of Madonna del Sasso, above the town, a magnificent view is obtained.

Leaving Locarno the steamer proceeds along the western shore. At Ascona there is a castle and a college; numerous villages are seen in succession, many of them beautifully situated on wooded slopes, and surrounded with fruittrees and gardens. Turning eastward we reach

LUINO (Hotels: see "HOTEL APPENDIX"), (the nearest point to Lugano). Opposite are two singular looking castles (Castelli di Cannero), formerly the haunt of notorious brigands. We next reach LAVENO, behind which rises (5918 feet) the beautiful Mount Sasso del Ferro. On nearing INTRA, we observe a monument consisting of a rotunda with a statue, in the grounds of the Villa Prina. At this point there is a view of part of the chain of mountains in which Monte Rosa is situated. We now approach PALLANZA (Grand Hotel Pallanza†), and the Borromean Islands: the chief of these is the Isola Bella, on which is a Château, erected by one of the Counts Borromeo in the seventeenth century. The chateau, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens, contains several paintings of no great merit. Near the chateau is the Hotel du Dauphin. The Isola Madre has more garden ground, and is wilder than the Isola Bella. The Isola Dei Pescatoriis inhabited by fishermen, whose village covers nearly its whole extent. BAVENO is the next stopping-place after Pallanza. We next touch at

the side of the mountain above it is a College, formerly a monastery. The Palazzo Bolongaro is at the north end of the village. Stresa is the most convenient station from which to make excursions. It is the best stopping-place for persons wishing to visit the islands.

ARONA, (Hotels: Italia, Posta), population 3,153, is an ancient town on the western shore of the lake. The church of Santa Maria contains a fine altar-piece by Gaudenzio Vinci, representing the Holy Family, and some other smaller pictures around it. About a mile and a half before reaching Arona we see the celebrated colossal statue of St. Carlo Borromeo, Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, a native of Arona. It is 66 ft. high and is placed on a pedestal 40 ft. high. The head, hands, and feet are of bronze, the rest of the figure consists of sheets of copper sustained by masonry. It was erected in 1697.

From Arona, Milan may be reached by railway in 24 hours, Turin in 34 hours, and Genoa in 5 hours. Diligences leave Arona daily to cross the Simplon Pass. The steamers stop here..

ARONA TO MILAN, see page 522.

ROUTE 82.

LUCERNE TO INTER-
LAKEN BY THE
BRUNIG PASS.

(From Lucerne to Alpnach by steamer, 2 francs; Alpnach to Brienz, diligence, 5 francs; Brienz to Interlaken, steamer, 2 francs. The whole distance from Lucerne to Interlaken may be made in 10 hours, by carriage, two horses, 70 francs.)

LPNACH (8 miles) may be reached either by the road or by steamer. The so-called Lake of Alpnach is a gulf or arm of the Lake of Lucerne. The Castle of Rotzberg, on the east shore, was the first Austrian fortress taken by the peasants in their memorable insurrection (1st January, 1308). One of their number, being the lover of a servant girl who lived in the Castle, obtained admission by a ladder of ropes, and admitted, by the same means, twenty of his comrades, who surprised and overpowered the garrison. Below the castle is the village of Stanzstad, conspicuous for its lofty watch-tower, erected in the fourteenth century. Alpnach is situated at the foot of Mount Pilate. The pines along the heights of this mountain were formerly carried down to the lake by a curious channel called the Slide of Alpnach. It was removed in 1819. The church was built of timber so conveyed.

The ascent of Mount Pilate can be best made from Alpnach. Time, 4 to 5 hours; horse, 10 francs.

SARNEN (16 miles), (Hotels:

Sarnen Hof, Aigle d'Or), population 3,300. It is agreeably situated on the lake of Sarnen, below an eminence called Landenberg, from the terrace on which we have a beautiful view. The bridge across the river is nearly 300 years old. In the church at SACHSELN, a short distance from Sarnen, are preserved the bones of Saint Nicholas von der Flue. Ascending the Kaiserstuhl, a steep hill, we reach

LUNGERN (26 miles), (Hotels: Brünig, Löwe), situated near the borders of the lake to which it gives its name, and at the commencement of the Brünig Pass. The road ascends by zig-zags through a forest to the summit of the Pass, at a height of 3,294 ft. above the sea. From this point a magnificent prospect extends over the valley of Nidwalden, with Mount Pilate in the distance, and the Lake of Lungern below; it includes also several mountains in the chain of the Bernese Alps. Near the summit is the Brünig Hotel. (The Kulm road to Meyringen leaves our route near the hotel, Meyringen may be reached from this point in 1 hours.) Descending by the new carriage road, from which the views over the lake are very fine, we arrive in about an hour at

BRIENZ (36 miles), (Hotels: L'Ours, Weisses-Kreutz), population 2,284. This town is beautifully situated on the lake of the same name. From hence to INTERLAKEN (463 miles) steamers go three times a day, passing by the Giessbach shore, from which a walk of 20 minutes leads to the Falls and the HOTEL GIESSBACH,* a magnificent new hotel (opened in 1875), one of the best in Switzerland. It commands fine views of the falls, and Lakes Brienz and Thun.