PREFACE.
The objects of the Handbook for Italy, which consists of
three volumes, each complete in itself, are to supply the trav¬
eller with some information regarding the culture and art of
the people he is about to visit, as well as regarding the nat¬
ural features of the country, to render him as independent as
possible of the services of guides and valets-de-place, to pro¬
tect him against extortion, and in every way to aid him in
deriving enjoyment and instruction from his tour in one of
the most fascinating countries in the world. The Handbook
will also, it is hoped, be the means of saving the traveller
many a trial of temper; for there is probably no country in
Europe where the patience is more severely taxed than in
some parts of Italy.
The Handbook is founded on the Editor's personal ac¬
quaintance with the places described, most of which he has
repeatedly and carefully explored. As, however, changes
are constantly taking place, he will highly appreciate any
communications with which travellers may kindly favour
him, if the result of their own observation. The information
already received from numerous correspondents, which he
gratefully acknowledges, has in many cases proved most
serviceable.
The present volume, corresponding to the ninth German
edition, has, like its predecessor, been thoroughly revised and
considerably augmented. Its contents have been divided into
groups of routes arranged historically and geographically
(Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Venetia, The Emilia, and
Tuscany), each group being provided with a prefatory outline
of the history of the district. Each section is also prefaced
with a list of the routes it contains, and may be removed
from the volume and used separately if desired.
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