Evening star., 1938-03-20
ART AND NATURE
BEAUT|FY ITALY
Old Cities, Rooted Deep in
History, Delight Eye of
Today's Travellers.

ROME, March 19.-Known from
ones earliest schooldays for its rich
history and its art treasures, Italy is q
land that we'll may boast that 1t i'm
parts an education to travellers as well
as delighting the eye.
No one who visits Naples or Rome
or Florence can leave without better
knowledge Of art and history and
without experiencing the thrill that
comes only from exquisite natural
beauty.
None can visit immortal Rome with
out calling to mind its stirring history,
now portrayed in marble ruins in the
Fora; the immense and imposing re-
mains Of the Colosseum, the lonely
columns Of Roman temples, the later
Christian basilicas and all the other
monuments to the greatness of her
empire. Then there are splendors
born Of the Renaissance, harmonized
under the genius Of Michelangelo,
beautified by famous Italian painters
and preserved for posterity in such
treasure houses of art as the Borghese
Gallery.
Modern Monuments, Too.
Nor are modern monuments lacking,
either. as evidenced by the huge me-
mortal to King Victor Emmanuel II, or
such amazing improvements as the Via
dell 'Impere, the new avenue in the
historic heart Of the city. to make way
for which an entire hill was leveled.
Italy's musical tradition lives on, too,
in the presentations Of the famous
Opera Theater. the Augusta concerts,
the symphonies Of the Basilica Of Mex
entius and the open-air theater at
nearby Ostia.
As the home Of Christ's vicar and the
center of Catholicism, Rome also at
tracts thousands of devout pilgrims
each year to the Basilica OF st. Peter
and to the Vatican. Her religious i'm
portance, however, does not lessen her
sayety. Here one may enjoy fine wine
from the vineyards Of the Alban Hills
and special dishes Of lamb and spa
ghetti that are found nowhere else
In the world. Nearby is horse racing
At the Capanello, the Villa Gloria
and Tor di Quinto.
About $50 miles north Of Rome, ly-
ing In the Tuscan hills OF the beau
tiful River Arno, Is Florence, which
once challenged the present capital
and Venice for world supremacy. The
surrounding hills are covered with
olive trees. vineyards and expresses,
and the nearby health resorts Of
Montecatini and Chianciano are ia
NOUS for their natural springs.
Day on Day Of Art.
The city itself is so filled with art
treasures that 1t would take days to
see them all. Here and there one
notices the sculpture of Benvenuto
Cellini standing unguarded in an
open square or the work OF . great
painter hung unostentatiously in the
Cathedral or the Church of Santa
Trinita. while the Ufizi Gallery Is
world famous as the home Of MASTER
pieces Of Titan, Botticelli and others.
In the spring there is racing at the
Cascine and . wonderful music fes-
tival known as Florentine Day.
But what OF Naples? Somewhat
more than 100 miles south of Rome.
this city enjoys a delightful climate
in both winter and summer. Few will
ever forget the beauty of 4 Neapol-
itan night, with the glow from We
suvius in the background and the
Bay OF Naples curving dimly out TO
the Tyrennian Sea in soft MOON
light.
Most every one who visits Naples
is lured away by the Incompatible
beauties OF the nearby Islands OF
Capri and Ischia or the Peninsula OF
Sorrento 1t Is not unusual for Ameri-
can visitors to Italy to advise their
friends planning trip to Rome,
Florence and Naples to take week
longer than they expected-otherwise
they'll 90 home feeling as though
they missed something.