'Our Own Fair Italy': Nineteenth Century Women's Travel Writing and Italy 1800-1844

This study proposes that in their writing about the region, women travel writers made a significant contribution to the changing representation of Italy and to their own changing reputation as professional writers. Between 1800 and 1844 there was a significant shift in the way in which Italy was both perceived and discussed as the tradition of the ‘Grand Tour’ waned and new types of travellers made trips to Europe. Encouraged by changes in the cost, ease and motivations for travel, unpreced...