The Grand Tour was a traditional journey through Europe, primarily from the 17th to the early 19th century, with Italy as a central destination.
This journey was typically undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank when they came of age, around 21 years old. They were often accompanied by a tutor or family member. The custom, which flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transport in the 1840s, served as an educational rite of passage. Although it was mainly associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were also made by affluent young men from other Protestant Northern European countries and, from the latter half of the 18th century, by some South and North Americans.
The primary value of the Grand Tour lay in exposing travelers to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, as well as the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of Europe. It offered the opportunity to view specific works of art and, in some cases, to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years and was usually undertaken with a cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.
The itinerary
The itinerary of the Grand Tour varied greatly depending on individual interests and finances, though Paris and Rome were frequent destinations for most English tourists. Typically, the journey began in Dover, England, with the crossing of the English Channel to Ostend in Belgium, or to Calais or Le Havre in France. Travelers, usually accompanied by a tutor (known as a "bear-leader") and possibly a group of servants, could rent or acquire a coach or travel by riverboat as far as the Alps, either via the Seine to Paris or up the Rhine to Basel.
From Paris, the journey typically continued to urban Switzerland, often to Geneva (the cradle of the Protestant Reformation) or Lausanne. After crossing the Alps via challenging routes like the Great St Bernard Pass, the traveler entered Italy. In Italy, the tour usually included visits to Turin, Milan, and Florence, where a notable Anglo-Italian society and the Uffizi gallery offered rich cultural experiences.
Italy
The tourist would then proceed to Padua, Bologna, and Venice. Venice, viewed by the British as epitomizing decadent Italianate allure, was a cultural highlight of the Grand Tour. From Venice, travelers went to Rome to study ancient ruins and Renaissance masterpieces. Some also visited Naples to study music and, from the mid-18th century, to explore the archaeological sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii, with adventurous travelers perhaps climbing Mount Vesuvius. Later, the more adventurous might explore Sicily, Malta, or even Greece.
Even today, retracing these stages can give you memorable emotions!
For example, here some suggestions to visit Italy in 10 days.
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