This thesis aims to present the Grand Tour at its peak, in the 18th century. It includes a summary of the sources, the researchers use when studying this phenomenon. The insincerity of the original authors, plagiarism, and bias present a significant challenge to the research of the Grand Tour. Studies and articles are also plagued by the issue of Anglocentrism and the occurence of ideological patterns, related to the golden age of travel. Although the phenomenon is considered primarily aristocratic, members of lower classes also participated in these journeys. The middle class mostly traveled for pragmatic reasons, but many also desired to imitate aristocratic culture. Consequently the nobility began to distance themselves from more popular destinations, to more exclusive travel regions, visited only by the wealthy. The most important destinations that travelers had to visit included Paris, Florence, Rome, Venice, and Naples. Travelers could reach Italy via two main routes: the Dutch and German lands or France. Both routes were difficult, because the roads were often in poor condition, and their stability depended on the weather conditions. Therefore, journeys were most commonly undertaken in spring and autumn.
|
