18 JANUARY 1930, Page 31

Travel Pamphlets Reviewed

[From time to time we notice in this page publications sent to us by travel agencies and shipping companies, which we think may be of interest to readers.—ED. Spectator.]

THE Italian Travel Bureau, 16 Waterloo Place, Regent Street, London, S.W. 1, send their latest leaflets concerning the Sitmar Line service to the Eastern Mediterranean. In twenty-four days a very pleasant cruise may be taken by one of the steamers of this line to Athens, through the Dardanelles, to Constantinople, the Aegean Sea, Rhodes, Cyprus, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Naples and Sicily, at a cost of £65 10s. first class and £45 10s. second class, from London return. These tours may be recommended both to those who want an interesting holiday, or to those in quest of a restful means of travel. Though the vessels are large, the number of passengers taken is limited. The duration of the stays at the ports permits of leisurely sightseeing, properly organized by the Shipping Company. The port of Genoa is particularly convenient as a starting-point of a tour of the Eastern Mediterranean, because of its accessibility to the French Channel ports, the avoidance of the Bay of Biscay and the loss of a week's time in reaching and returning from the Mediter- ranean. Places on trains from London and the French ports may be reserved beforehand, and travellers are met upon arrival in Genoa. From March to November the conditions in the Mediterranean are usually consistently good. In March the temperature and the sun's heat are about the same as during a fine early summer in England. The duration of these tours (about three weeks) can be prolonged by making a stay at some attractive places in the itinerary where hotel accommodation may be reserved in advance. One of our cor- respondents who used this service last year wrote :—" I can with confidence recommend the Sitmar Line. I travelled by the Umbria' from Genoa to Rhodes, calling at Naples, Catania, Piraeus and Constantinople, and I found the service admirable. The accommodation was most comfortable, the food excellent, and the courtesy of the ship's officers and crew went far to contribute to a most successful trip."