Part 24

A famous view (clear weather necessary) is obtained from the old monastery of **=Camaldoli= (1503 ft.), founded in 1585 on the highest of the hills to the N.W. of Sant’ Elmo. The rough road to it (carr. about 6, with two horses 9–10 fr.; there and back 4½ hrs.) leaves the city near the _Porta San Martino_ (Pl. A, B, 2), the N.W. gate of the Cinta Daziaria or wall of the _octroi_ (town-customs). If on foot or on donkey back (2–2½ fr. and fee to attendant; 5–6 hrs.), we go from _Rione Vomero_ (see above) through the suburb of _Antignano_ (Pl. B, C, 4, 5) to the little customs-office of _l’Archetiello_ (Pl. B, 4), near which the bridle-path begins.

The monastery (suppressed, and now private property, but still occupied by several monks; fee 30–50 c.; ladies not admitted) offers little attraction. Straight through the garden we reach a point of view which commands the bays of Naples and Pozzuoli, the Phlegræan plain with its numerous extinct craters, and the Bay of Gaëta as far as the distant Ponza Islands (p. 133).

When ladies are of the party we turn to the right, near the N.W. angle of the monastery-wall, and descend a little to the (8 min.) gate of the _Veduta Pagliana_ (adm. 20 c.), where the view is similar.

Travellers whose time is limited may at least visit the *_Strada Nuova di Posílipo_ (tramway No. 1; p. 137). It is approached, beyond the Villa Nazionale (p. 141), by the Strada di Mergellina (Pl. B, 7), from which the Corso Vittorio Emanuele (p. 141) diverges. The Strada Nuova di Posilipo, gradually ascending from the sea, leads between villas with luxuriant gardens round the broad hill of _Posílipo_, which bounds the Bay of Naples on the W., and offers, especially by evening light, superb views of Mt. Vesuvius, the peninsula of Sorrento (p. 154), and the island of Capri. A walk of 10 min. straight on from the tramway-terminus brings us through a cutting to the _Bella Vista_, a point of view near the restaurant of that name (p. 136), where we have an unimpeded view of the bay of Pozzuoli and of the islands of Procida and Ischia (p. 135).

An interesting circular trip may be made from the Corso Vittorio Emanuele (p. 141), up the Via Tasso (Pl. C, B, 6), with its fine points of view, to the top of Posilipo, then along the crest of the hill to the S.W. to the tramway-terminus, and back by the Posilipo road (a walk of 3½–4 hrs., or a drive of 1½ hr.; a cab should be taken by the hour).

For Naples and its Environs comp. also _Baedeker’s Southern Italy_, or _Italy from the Alps to Naples_.

25. From Genoa to Tunis viâ Leghorn and Cagliari.

620 M. This route forms part of the ‘Linea Circolare della Tunisia e Tripolitania’ (Lines XVIII-XX) of the _Società Nazionale_, a circular tour which offers interesting glimpses of Sardinia, Malta, and the E. coast of Sicily, as well as of Oriental life at the N. African ports (RR. 64, 27, 24). The steamers usually leave Genoa on Frid. evening, Leghorn on Sat. night, and Cagliari on Mon. evening, and arrive at Tunis on Tues. forenoon. (In the reverse direction they leave Tunis on Mon. at noon and reach Genoa on Thurs. evening.) Fare 111 or 83 fr. (or for the whole round 303 or 212 fr.). As some of the steamers are hardly up to date, inquiry as to the best should be made beforehand. Office at Genoa, see p. 114; at Leghorn, Piazza Micheli (p. 143); at Tunis, p. 331.

_Genoa_, and voyage to (92 M.) _Leghorn_, comp. pp. 113, 134. We pass _Melória_, a cliff 4 M. to the W. of Leghorn, off which the Genoese destroyed the fleet of Pisa in 1284.

=Leghorn=, Ital. _Livorno_ (Marble Palace Hotel; Hôt. d’Angleterre & Campari, Hôt. Giappone, both in Via Vittorio Emanuele, with restaurants, good Italian houses for passing travellers; Brit, cons., M. Carmichael; U. S. cons., E. A. Man; pop. 78,000), a provincial capital, one of the chief seaports of Italy, and a sea-bathing place, is quite a modern town. The harbour consists of the _Porto Nuovo_, sheltered by a semicircular mole (_diga curvilinea_) and the new _Molo Vegliaia_, and the old _Porto Mediceo_, or inner harbour. (Landing or embarkation 1 fr.; trunk 30 c.).

Near the harbour is the Piazza Micheli, adorned with a curious monument of the grand-duke _Ferdinand I. of Tuscany_ (1587–1609). Straight on runs the Via Vittorio Emanuele, the main street, lined with shops. It leads across the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, which is flanked by the _Cathedral_, the _Municipio_, and other public buildings, to the Piazza Carlo Alberto, whence the Via Garibaldi and Via Palestro lead to the left to the railway-station.

A pleasant walk (or tramway from the station to Antignano) is offered by the _Viale Regina Margherita_, about 2 M. in length, the seaside promenade to the S. of the town, in summer enlivened by numerous bathers. Between it and the harbour, and adjoining the Piazza Mazzini, is the _Cantiere Orlando_, the dockyards where iron-clads and other vessels are built for the Italian navy.

At the S. end of the sea-promenade lie the villa-suburbs of _Ardenza_ and _Antignano_, which have sea-baths also.

On the fine VOYAGE from Leghorn to (339 M.) Cagliari we at first obtain a good view of the _Tuscan Archipelago_, relics of the primæval _Tyrrhenis_ (p. xxxi). These islands are composed mainly of granite, with slate and limestone strata overlying it in places.

Passing at some distance from the barren fisher-island of _Gorgona_ (837 ft.) and from _Capraia_, the _Capraria_ (goats’ island) of antiquity, we steer to the S.S.W. towards the W. coast of Elba, enjoying in clear weather a fine distant *View of the peninsula of _Cape Corse_, the N. extremity of _Corsica_, and of _Monte Cinto_ (8892 ft.), the highest mountain in the interior of that island.

We next skirt the island of _Elba_, the _Æthalia_ of the Greeks and _Ilva_ of the Romans, the largest island in the archipelago, 19 M. long, famous as the scene of the first exile of Napoleon I. (1814–5). The valuable iron-mines here (comp. pp. 134, 135), worked from very ancient times, are an important factor in the industries of Italy. We pass the rocky N. coast of the island, which is visible as far as the _Capo della Vita_ (p. 135), and on its W. side we observe the massive granitic _Monte Capanne_ (3343 ft.).

The steamer passes between the hardly less steep S. coast of Elba and the flat island of _Pianosa_ (85 ft.; the ancient _Planasia_), and steers to the S.S.W. towards the S. coast of Sardinia. On the left, about 26 M. from Elba, appears the bold granitic island of _Montecristo_ (2126 ft.), the ancient _Oglasa_, the scene of the well-known novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, by Alex. Dumas.

The _Straits of Bonifacio_ (p. 133) lie far to the W. of the steamer’s course. Off the N.E. coast of _Sardinia_ we first sight the massive rocky island of _Tavolara_ (1821 ft.), the _Bucina_ of the Romans, masking the _Bay of Terranova_; then, when off _Capo Comino_, the eastmost point of Sardinia, we see _Monte Alvo_ (3701 ft.), a little inland. The somewhat monotonous S.E. coast of the island is backed by sterile mountains. We pass the little port of _Arbatax_ (_Tortolì Marina_), the _Capo di Bellavista_, the _Capo Sferra Cavallo_, the _Monte Ferrau_ (2878 ft.), the _Capo Ferrato_, and lastly the islet of _Serpentara_.

Beyond _Capo Carbonara_, the S.E. point of Sardinia, and the _Isola dei Cavoli_ (p. 118), opens the broad _Gulf of Cagliari_ on the flat S. coast of the island. On the hill-side at the head of the gulf, beyond the fortified _Cape Sant’Elia_, which shuts off the inner _Golfo di Quarto_, lies the town of _Cagliari_. Around it are several large coast-lakes, the _Stagno di Molentargius_, on the E., the _Stagno di Cagliari_, on the W., and others, which yield quantities of salt. The latter has been separated from the gulf only since the middle ages by a neck of land called the _Plaia_.

=Cágliări.=—The STEAMER is moored in the Darsena. Landing or embarkation 40, with baggage 60 c.

HOTELS. _Scala di Ferro_, Viale Regina Margherita 5, with good restaurant, R. 2½–3 fr.; _Quattro Mori_, Largo Carlo Felice, R. from 2 fr., also restaurant.—_Café Torino_, Via Roma.

POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Via Lodovico Baille 22.—CAB (bargaining advisable) 1, at night ½ fr. per drive; baggage 20 c.

BRITISH CONSUL (also Lloyd’s Agent), _R. E. Pernis_.

_Cagliari_, Sardin. _Casteddu_, the Roman _Carales_, a very ancient town, having been founded by the Phœnicians, now the seat of a university and of an archbishop, with 48,000 inhab., lies in one of the hottest and driest regions in Italy. At the foot of the _Castello_ or old town (290 ft.) lie the new quarters of _Villanova_, _Marina_, and _Stampace_, adjoined on the W. by the suburb of _Sant’Avendrace_.

The VIA ROMA, an avenue skirting the sea, the fashionable corso in the evening, leads from the _Palazzo Comunale_ to the Largo Carlo Felice. On the right are two covered _Markets_, which are worth seeing in the forenoon. This largo leads to the PIAZZA YENNE, the business centre of the modern town.

At the N. end of the Largo Carlo Felice rises a statue of _Charles Felix I._ (1821–31), and in the Piazza Yenne an antique column. Between these passes the main thoroughfare of the town: to the left the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, ending near a group of ancient Roman houses recently excavated, now called _Casa di Tigellio_; to the right, leading to the upper town, the animated VIA MANNO (popularly ‘_La Costa_‘), with numerous shops, where among other things the gold ornaments commonly worn by the country-people should be noticed.

From the Piazza della Costituzione, at the S.E. end of the Via Manno, the *VIALE REGINA ELENA runs to the N., beneath the precipitous E. side of the abrupt Castello. It affords a fine view of the ancient town-wall, of the cathedral, and of the picturesque rear of the castle-buildings; below, on the right, lies Villanova, with its quaint tiled roofs, while beyond it we have a splendid view of Cape Sant’ Elia and across the wide plain of Quarto to the mountains.

From the _Giardino Pubblico_, at the N. end of the promenade, we mount to the W. to the _Passeggiata Buon Cammino_ (see below).

Adjoining the Via Manno (p. 144) is the small Piazzetta de’Martiri d’Italia, whence the Via Giuseppe Mazzini ascends in two bends to the *_Castello_, still fortified in mediæval style. At the top is the new _Passeggiata Coperta_, one of the finest points in the town. The Via dell’Università leads hence to the left to the _University_ and to the ponderous _Torre dell’Elefante_, which, according to the inscription, was erected by the Pisans in 1307.

Straight on we pass through the _Torre dell’Aquila_, an old gateway now enclosed within the _Palazzo Boyl_, to the VIA LAMARMORA, the main street in the Castello, which is connected with the parallel streets by steep lanes, dark vaulted passages, and steps.

From the terraced little Piazza del Municipio, with the council-hall of the old town, a flight of steps to the right ascends to the _Cathedral_ (Santa Cecilia), completed by the Pisans in 1312, but since then frequently altered. A new façade, in keeping with the old building, is now under construction.

Farther to the N., in the Piazza dell’ Indipendenza, is the Pisan _Torre San Pancrazio_ (14th cent.), a modern addition to which contains the very notable MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES (if closed apply to the director, Sig. Nissardi). Besides Phœnician and Roman antiquities we may note the cork model of a nuraghe, one of the conical fortresses built by the aboriginal Iberian inhabitants.

Going through the _Citadel_, which bounds the Castello on the N., we follow the _Passeggiata Buon Cammino_ to the Piazza d’Armi. Just beyond the barracks a road to the left leads to the Roman—

_Amphitheatre_ (greater diameter 97, smaller 80 yds.; arena 55 by 37 yds.), with tiers of seats mostly hewn in the rock.

Below the amphitheatre lie the garden of the _Poor House_ (Ricovero di Mendicità) and the _Botanic Garden_ (Thurs. 4–7), both containing remains of antique _Irrigation Works_, which are continued on the cliffs to the N.W. of the old town. Close by is the ancient NECROPOLIS of Carales. Nearest the town are the Punic tomb-chambers, sunk perpendicularly in the rock (care should be taken here), and farther to the W. are the mostly horizontal Roman tombs.

From the ruined castle of _San Michele_, at the top of a hill about 2 M. to the N. of the Piazza d’Armi (p. 145), we overlook the _Stagno di Cagliari_ (p. 144) and the _Campidano_, a fruitful, but fever-stricken plain between the bays of Cagliari and Oristano (p. 129), where the clay-built villages and the cactus hedges recall N. Africa.

See also _Baedeker’s Southern Italy._

The STEAMER on leaving the Gulf of Cagliari steers to the S.S.E.; astern we soon sight Cape Spartivento (p. 118), at the N.W. end of the gulf. For the voyage along the Tunisian coast, and for _Tunis_, see R. 21 and p. 329.

Voyage from Tunis to _Algiers_, see R. 22; to _Tripoli_, see R. 64.

26. From Naples to Tunis viâ Palermo.

FROM NAPLES TO PALERMO (193 M.). =1.= Steamers of the _Ferrovie dello Stato_ (Line C) daily in 9 hrs., at 10.45 p.m. (returning at 8.30 p.m.); fare 25 fr. 5 or 15 fr. 65 c.—=2.= _Società Nazionale_, Line XVI (see below) every Mon. evening in 12 hrs., and Lines X & XI every second Frid. aft. in 17¾ hrs. (fares 25 fr. 5, 15 fr. 65 c.).—=3.= _Adria Co._ (RR. 23, 24) every Thurs. afternoon, in 15 hrs.; fare 18 fr., without food.—=4.= _Lloyd Sabaudo_ 1–3 times monthly (comp. R. 24). Passengers, both going and coming, should rise early in order to enjoy the superb approaches to the bays of Palermo and Naples.

FROM GENOA TO PALERMO DIRECT (494 M.) every Thurs. (returning on Wed.) by Line XXII (for Palermo, Trapani, Syracuse, and Catania) of the _Società Nazionale_ (fare 80 or 55 fr.).

FROM PALERMO TO TUNIS (217 M.). =1.= _Società Nazionale_: =a.= Line XVI (from Naples, see above), leaving Palermo Tues. aft., Trapani Tues. evening, arrives at Tunis Wed. morning (returning from Tunis Wed. night, from Trapani Thurs. morning, from Palermo Thurs. evening, arr. at Naples Frid. morning); fare from Palermo to Tunis 64 fr. 25 or 43 fr. 25 c.; =b.= Line XVII, from Palermo to Pantelleria and Tunis (small cargo-boats), calling at Castellammare del Golfo, Trapani, Favignana, Marsala, Mazzara, Sciacca, and the island of Pantelleria; dep. from Palermo Thurs. morning, from Mazzara (reached also by railway, 89 M. in 4¼ hrs.; 18 fr. 25, 12 fr. 80, or 8 fr. 30 c.) Frid. afternoon (landing or embarkation in fine weather only), arr. at Tunis Sat. evening (returning from Tunis on Sun. evening, arr. at Mazzara on Mon. evening, and at Palermo Tues. night; fare from Mazzara 73 fr. or 50 fr. 35 c.)—=2.= _Navigation Mixte_ (_Touache Co._), cargo-steamer from Palermo to Tunis direct (coming from Marseilles, R. 21), on Wed. noon, in 18 hrs. (returning Thurs. at noon); fare 60 or 40 fr.—Combined tickets (Naples-Palermo-Tunis) are available by either of the two companies’ boats.

Agents at Naples, Palermo, and Tunis, see pp. 137, 148, 331.

Naples, see p. 135. The bay is usually quitted at night. We proceed to the S.S.W., through the _Bocca Grande_ (p. 133). After about 1¼ hr. we skirt the rocky W. coast of _Capri_ (p. 154).

Towards morning appears to the S.W. the island of _Ustĭca_ (784 ft.), which was visited by an earthquake in March 1906; to the S.E. in clear weather are seen _Filicuri_ (2543 ft.; Greek _Phoinikusa_) and _Alicuri_ (2175 ft.; the ancient _Ericusa_), the westmost of the _Lipari Islands_ (p. 155); beyond lies the N. coast of _Sicily_, from _Cape Gallo_ (p. 152) and the finely shaped _Monte Pellegrino_ (p. 151) to the _Madoníe Mts._ (6480 ft.), snow-clad in winter.

[Illustration: PALERMO]

A scene of striking beauty is revealed as we steam into the *_Bay of Palermo_, which opens towards the E., between Monte Pellegrino and the smaller pointed headland of _Monte Catalfano_ (1237 ft.), backed by a circus of grand mountains, _Monte Cuccio_ (3448 ft.), _Monte Grifone_ (2550 ft.), and others. After passing between the harbour piers, the _Antemurale_ on the S. and the _Molo_ (lighthouse) on the N., we observe on the left the shallow old harbour of _La Cala_ (p. 149) with the ruined fort of _Castellammare_.

* * * * *

=Palermo.=—ARRIVAL. The steamers from Naples are berthed at the new Santa Lucia Pier (Pl. G, 4, 5); in the case of the others landing or embarkation is effected by boat (60 c.; with baggage 1 fr.). The custom-house examination is slight. Porter (facchino) for hand-bag 10, trunk 50 c.—From the pier to the town ca. ¾ M. (tramway No. 1, see below). Omnibuses or motor-cars from the hotels await steamers at the pier. Cabs, see below.

=Hotels= (most frequented Feb.-April). *VILLA IGIEA, ¼ hr. to the N. of the quay, at the Acquasanta terminus of tramways Nos. 1 & 7, near the sea, with park, casino, and fine view, R. from 8, B. 2, déj. 5, D. 7, omn. 3 fr.; *EXCELSIOR PALACE (Pl. e; G, 2), Via della Libertà, near the Giardino Inglese, good restaur., R. from 4, B. 1½, D. 6, omn. 1½ fr.; *HÔT. DES PALMES (Pl. a; E, 3), Via Stabile 103, R. 4–12, B. 1½, D. 6, omn. 1½ fr.; three houses of the first class, closed in summer. The following, also of the first class, are open throughout the year. *HÔT. DE FRANCE (Pl. c; C, 5), near the Giardino Garibaldi, R. 4–10, B. 1½, D. 5, omn. 1½ fr.; *TRINACRIA (Pl. b; C, 5), with sea view, entrance in Via Butera, R. from 4, B. 1½, D. 5, omn. 1½ fr.; SAVOY (Pl. g; E, 3), Via Cavour, R. from 3, D. 4½, omn. 1–1½ fr.; PANORMUS (Pl. k; E, 3, 4), Via Michele Amari 11, R. from 2½, B. 1¼, déj. 2½, D. 3½ fr.—Less pretending (open all the year round): MILANO (Pl. f; F, 3), Via Emerico Amari 114, R. from 3½, omn. 1 fr., well spoken of; ALBERGO VITTORIA (Pl. h; D, 4), Via Bandiera 31, and CENTRAL (Pl. d; C, 3), Corso Vittorio Emanuele 343, R. from 2 fr., both with restaurant; PATRIA (Pl. i; B, 4), Via Alloro 96 (view from roof-terrace), CAVOUR, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 330, both hôtels garnis (R. from 1½ fr.).

=Restaurants= (Italian cooking; à la carte). _Gran Caffè Nuovo_, in the Teatro Biondo (Pl. C, 4), _Restaurant de Paris_, Via Maqueda 200, both good. Plainer: _Vanini_, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 405; _Ristorante Napoli_, same street, No. 265; _Ristorante Bologni_, same street, No. 381.

=Cafés= (rarely frequented in the morning). _Caffè del Teatro Massimo_ (p. 151); _Trinacria_, Quattro Canti di Campagna (Pl. E, 3); _Caflisch_, Via Maqueda 250; _Café Italia_, Via Cavour.—_English Tea Rooms_, Piazza Marina 41.—BEER. _Gran Caffè Nuovo_ (see above); _Trinacria_ (see above); _Gambrinus_, Teatro Massimo.

=Cabs.= For 1–4 pers., within Via Lincoln, Corso Tukery, Piazza dell’ Indipendenza, and Piazza Ucciardone, per drive 50 c., from midnight to dawn 1 fr.; to outer quarters, drive under ½ hr., also to the quay or the railway-stations 1 fr.; from midnight to dawn 1 fr. 50 c.: one hour 1 fr. 80 c., each addit. ¼ hr. 40 c.—Hand-bag 20, trunk 40 c.—Driving in the inner city on Good Friday prohibited.—For long drives a bargain should be made; thus, to Monreale (p. 152), with stay of 1½ hr., 7–8 (or out of season 4–6) fr.

=Tramways= (within the city 10, transfer 15 c.). Among the chief are: =1.= From _Piazza Marina_ (Pl. C, 5) to Via Francesco Crispi (Pl. E, F, 4), Piazza Ucciardone (Pl. G, 4), and _Acquasanta_ (Villa Igiea).—=4.= From _Porta Maqueda_ (Pl. D, E, 3), to Via Francesco Crispi, Piazza Ucciardone, and _Falde_ (p. 151).—=7.= From _Piazza Marina_ to Via Lincoln (Pl. B, A, 6–4; Central Station), Corso Tukery, Piazza dell’ Indipendenza (Pl. B, 1), Corso Alberto Amedeo (Pl. B-D, 1), Politeama Garibaldi (Pl. F, 3), and _Acquasanta_ (Villa Igiea).—=9.= From _Piazza Bologni_ (Pl. C, 3) to Piazza dell’ Indipendenza, Rocca (p. 152), and _Monreale_ (p. 152), every ½ hr., in 35 min.; fare 40 (back 30) c.—Above Rocca (gradient ca. 1 in 8) there is a funicular section 1100 yds. long.

=Post Office.= (Pl. C, 3), Piazza Bologni.—=Telegraph. Office= (Pl. C, 3), Via Maqueda 222; also in the Piazza Marina.

=Steamboat Lines.= _Società Nazionale_, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 96, corner of Piazza Marina; _Ferrovie dello Stato_ (steamer service), J. & V. Florio, Via Roma; _Navigation Mixte_ and _White Star_, A. Tagliavia, same street, No. 51; _Austro-American_ (p. 425), A. Lauria; _Cunard_, Piazza Marina 13; _Anchor Line_, E. G. Orr (see below).

=Banks.= _Banca Commerciale_, _d’Italia_, and _di Sicilia_, all in Corso Vittorio Emanuele.—_Thos. Cook & Son_, same street, No. 155.

=Consuls.= British, _R. G. Macbean_, Via Francesco Crispi; vice-consul, _W. A. Morrison_.—United States, _H. De Soto_, Piazza Castelnuovo 44.—=Lloyd’s Agent=, _E. G. Orr_, Piazza Marina.

=English Church.= _Holy Cross_ (‘Anglicana’; Pl. E, 3, 4), Via Stabile; services every Sun. at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. in winter.

ONE DAY AND A HALF is the minimum time for a glance at the sights. 1st. In the forenoon, _Cappella Palatina_ (p. 149), _San Giovanni degli Eremiti_ (p. 150); _Cathedral_ (p. 149), _Martorana_ (p. 150), _Museum_ (p. 150); in the afternoon (best in the early morning in summer), _Monte Pellegrino_ (p. 151); in summer, towards evening, _Villa Giulia_ and the _Marina_ (p. 151).—2nd. In the forenoon, _Monreale_ (p. 152).

_Palermo_, the capital of Sicily, with 250,000 inhab., the seat of an archbishop and a university, lies on the beautiful bay named after it, in the midst of the _Conca d’Oro_, a fertile plain artificially watered, and yielding oranges, lemons, mandarins, and other fruits in profusion. Palermo is also the chief seaport in the island, whence fruit, wine, sumach, and the sulphur of S. Sicily (79% of the world’s consumption) are largely exported.

The city, the _Panormus_ of antiquity, began its career as a Phœnician colony; it next became the capital of the island under the Carthaginian domination, but was conquered by the Romans in 254 B. C. Next came the Ostrogoths and the Byzantines, who were succeeded by the Aglabides and Fatimites (p. 323), who again made the town the capital of the island under the name of _Balerm_, and opened up Sicily to Moorish culture. When Palermo became the residence of its Norman conquerors (1072–1194) they erected castles and churches, partly employing Arabian architects and artificers, whose work shows a charming blend of Byzantine, Arabian, and Oriental features. Later, as the favourite seat of the Hohenstaufen (1194–1266), Palermo attained the zenith of its glory. The old town, however, owes its architectural character to the Spanish viceroys (16–17th cent.), who chose it as their residence in spite of the protests of Messina. Since the union of Sicily with the kingdom of Italy (1860) there has been a great revival of building enterprise, with the result that broad streets and villa-suburbs have sprung up, particularly on the N. side of the old town.