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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



view the Villa Serbelloni, a graceful 

 structure located near the edge of the 

 hill and built on several terraces. The 

 luxuriant palm trees, with their yellow 

 clusters of dates and green leaves, stretch 

 out their graceful arms in all directions. 

 Here a beautiful park is laid out, which 

 is traversed by numerous shaded walks 

 and grottoes, where one may rest in com- 

 fort, protected from the intense rays of 

 the mid-day sun. A wonderful view is to 

 be had of the several bodies of water 

 stretching out below, while in the dis- 

 tance is discernible the cap of everlasting 

 snow of the higher Swiss Alps. 



VII.I.A CARIvOTTA 



There are many pleasant little excur- 

 sions in all directions from Bellagio, both 

 by land and water. One of these inter- 

 esting little trips for the sojourner is to 

 cross the lake to the Villa Carlotta, which 

 is the property and summer home of the 

 Duke of Saxe Meinigen. Here we have 

 one of the most magnificent gardens it is 

 possible to conceive. The coloring of the 

 flowers that grow in every nook and cor- 

 ner are beyond all description, and should 

 one unfamiliar with this country see these 

 colors reproduced on canvas they would 

 certainly be declared overdrawn. The 

 predominating flower, however, is the 

 azalea, which seems to bloom in almost 

 every conceivable color. 



Near the garden is a beautiful wood, 

 and as one walks through the dense semi- 

 tropical growth on all sides of the path 

 attention is at once called to the quanti- 

 ties of orchids of many hues which may 

 be seen clinging to the trees. 



From Bellagio it is but a few minutes 

 by steamer to Menaggio, and on this trip 

 we see for the last time the square-rigged 

 sailing vessels and the peculiar charac- 

 teristics of the barcas, or boats which are 

 made serviceable in all kinds of weather 

 by spreading canvas over hickory arches 

 fastened on either side to the bulwarks. 



Menaggio is a quaint little town, but 

 the spirit of commercialism is rather 

 more apparent than at other points (see 

 page 950). Here we take a steam tram, 

 which winds up the side of the mountain, 

 and as one looks backward from the 

 heights the silent town of Bellagio can 

 be seen nestling at the base of the bold 



promontory, with the white buildings of 

 the Villa Serbelloni above. For a time 

 the train follows the banks of a wild and 

 rushing mountain torrent which flows 

 into Lake Como, while later it descends 

 on the brink of a great gorge containing 

 a similar rushing stream, until Porlezza, 

 on the shore of Lake Lugano, is reached. 



I^AKE I^UGANO 



This lake, being much smaller than 

 Lake Como, is but sixteen miles long and 

 two broad, differing very greatly from 

 the latter in scenery, as we find the 

 densely wooded mountains dipping pre- 

 cipitously into its waters, while a great 

 sense of stern solitude seems everywhere 

 to prevail. The deeply serrated tops of 

 the snow-clad mountains seem to pro- 

 trude far into the sky, often delighting 

 the eye with beautiful clouds hovering 

 about their heads. 



A noted change in vegetation occurs 

 the moment the Bay of Lugano is en- 

 tered: instead of the rough and rugged 

 variety, it is of a rich and thriving na- 

 ture, vying with the neighboring lakes. 



First is noticed Lugano Paradiso nest- 

 ling at the foot of the slopes of Mount 

 Salvatore ; and a little farther on the 

 town of Lugano itself, which is delight- 

 fully situated, enjoying a very equable 

 climate, being mild in winter, yet avoid- 

 ing the excessive heat of the long, hot 

 summers (see page 951). 



There are several things that make a 

 halt here very enjoyable, both from a 

 historic and scenic standpoint. Our very 

 dwelling, the hotel, has figured promi- 

 nently in history of ages past, being a 

 convent till suppressed in 1848. The 

 town is quite old, and among its other 

 treasures is the Church of San Lorenzo, 

 having a wonderful decorated marble 

 fagade in early Renaissance style, and 

 the convent chapel of Santa Maria Degli 

 Angeli, containing most beautiful fres- 

 coes by Luini. 



A few hours spent in a trip by a cog 

 railway to the top of Mount Salvatore 

 repays one very Avell by the wonderful 

 view, spreading out in all directions, and 

 from its summit, on a clear day, many 

 of the lakes of northern Italy may be 

 seen, including those of Garda, Orta, and 

 Varese. 



