XIII
II. Period and Plan of Tour.
The season selected, and the duration of the tour must of
•course depend on the traveller himself. Suffice it to remark
that the colder months are those usually preferred. The ma¬
jority of travellers bound for the South cross the Alps in Sep¬
tember and October, and arrive in Rome about the beginning
of November. Rome is the favourite winter-residence of strangers
until the Carnival, but at the commencement of Lent the city is
deserted by many for the gayer scenes of Naples. At Easter it
is again inundated by a vast concourse of visitors, who flock
thither in order to witness the sumptuous ecclesiastical pagean¬
try of the "Holy Week", and depart as soon as their curio¬
sity has been gratified. Some then proceed to Naples, Florence
or other parts of Italy; the majority, however, prepare to quit the
country before the commencement of summer. In this vast and
ever-varying influx of travellers the English element is always
greatly predominant.
No month in the year can be pronounced absolutely unfavour¬
able for travelling in Italy. but the seasons recommended are the
late autumn months (Sept. 15th to Nov. 15th), and April and
May. The rainy winter months should, if possible, be avoided
for the commencement of a tour, and may be most profitably spent in
one of the larger cities, of which Rome offers by far the most num¬
erous and varied attractions. June, July and August are hardly les=
unfavourable for a tour. The scenery indeed is then in perfec¬
tion, and the long days are hailed with satisfaction by the active
traveller; but the fierce rays of an Italian sun seldom fail to
exercise a prejudicial influence upon the physical and mental
energies. This result is not occasioned so much by the inten¬
sity , as by the protracted duration of the heat, the sky being
frequently cloudless, and not a drop of rain falling for several
months in succession. The first showers of autumn, which fall
about the end of August, again commence to refresh the parched
atmosphere.
The Plan of a tour in Italy must be framed in accordance
with the object which the traveller has in view. Florence, Rome
and Naples are the principal centres of attraction; the less fre¬
quented districts of the interior, however, are also replete -with
inexhaustible sources of interest. In order to obtain a more than
superficial acquaintance with Italy, the traveller must not devote
his attention to the larger towns exclusively. The farther he
diverges from the beaten track, the better opportunities he will
have of gaining an insight into the characteristics of this fasci¬
nating country.
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