Packaging the Grand Tour: German Women Authors Write Italy, 1791–1874

In this article, I argue that modern tourism came into existence through the writings of female travel writers who taught their audiences at home that Italy could be visited efficiently, safely, and enjoyably. Their travel guides opened Italy for future travelers by providing precise descriptions of Italian landscapes and the intellectual and emotional response to them. Moreover, they broadened women’s knowledge of history, which allowed the readers at home to contextualize what they saw, and, additionally, they introduced the notion of enjoyment and pleasure into traveling. By shifting the focus from “scholarship” and “edification” to “pleasure,” the Italian journey became one suitable for women. By the 1850s, women had become experts in travel and wrote for broad, mixed-gender audiences.