Augustus Hare in Italy (Ecco Travels)

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Travel Guide to Italy, Albeit Somewhat Dated
Review: Ecco Press publishes nineteenth and early twentieth century classic travel works in their Ecco Travels series. Augustus Hare was a popular travel writer in the late 1800s. This guidebook, Augustus Hare in Italy, offers selections from his Cities of Northern Italy, Cities of Central Italy, Days Near Rome, Cities of Southern Italy and Sicily, and other works.

The descriptions are concise, ranging from a single paragraph to a page or two. Occasionally, Augustus Hare quotes other writers, ancient and contemporary, like Pliny, Aeneas Sylvius, Ruffini, J. A. Symonds, Forsyth, Ruskin, and E. Bulwer Lytton. Every page contains one or two illustrations from intriguing original wood engravings by Augustus Hare. The editor, Gavin Henderson, carefully matched selections from Hare's extensive writings to each illustration.

Augustus Hare was fascinated with the Etruscan, Greek, Roman, early Christian, Saracen, Medieval, and Renaissance architecture found throughout Italy. The descriptions begin in the north at locations like San Remo, Lampedusa, Turin, Milan, and Mantua, then zigzags southward to Rome, and finally ends in Sicily. The index map of Italy was very helpful, particularly for the more remote sites.

This compilation offers a leisurely tour of Italy that makes enjoyable reading. Hare's outdated travel tips are simultaneously insightful, entertaining, and humorous. We learn that the San Antonio inn in Bassano is tolerable, but overrun with black beetles. In Siena the Armi d' Inghilterra is a very poor Italian inn, but is managed by civil people. The sights of Cervetri must be visited in time to catch the evening train to Rome, "for the only inn at Cervetri is so utterly wretched, it would scarcely be possible to spend the night there." Elsewhere he highlights other inns that offer excellent lodging.

We pass through some areas in the daytime only (like Volci) that were largely uninhabited due to the prevalence of malaria. Large, smoky bonfires were maintained to fight the mosquitoes, but with little success. For exploring more remote areas Hare instructs the traveler on proper rates for renting mules and donkeys.

Travel in the nineteenth century was certainly more difficult, but it was also more leisurely. Take your time as you examine the detailed drawings and descriptions by Augustus Hare. As you read, imagine yourself following in Hare's footsteps, stopping to make sketches and drawings at least once or twice a day. Pleasant journeys!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Travel Guide to Italy, Albeit in the late 1800s.
Review: Ecco Press publishes nineteenth and early twentieth century classic travel works. This guidebook, Augustus Hare in Italy, offers selections from his Cities of Northern Italy, Cities of Central Italy, Days Near Rome, Cities of Southern Italy and Sicily, and other works.

The descriptions are concise, ranging from a single paragraph to a page or two. Occasionally, Augustus Hare quotes other writers, ancient and contemporary, like Pliny, Aeneas Sylvius, Ruffini, J. A. Symonds, Forsyth, Ruskin, and E. Bulwer Lytton. Every page contains one or two illustrations from intriguing original wood engravings by Augustus Hare. The editor, Gavin Henderson, carefully matched selections from Hare's extensive writings to each illustration.

Augustus Hare was fascinated with the Etruscan, Greek, Roman, early Christian, Saracen, Medieval, and Renaissance architecture. The descriptions begin in the north at locations like San Remo, Lampedusa, Turin, Milan, and Mantua, then zigzags southward to Rome, and finally ends in Sicily. The index map of Italy was very helpful, particularly for the more remote sites.

This compilation offers a leisurely tour of Italy that makes enjoyable reading. Hare's outdated travel tips are simultaneously insightful, entertaining, and humorous. We learn that the San Antonio inn in Bassano is tolerable, but overrun with black beetles. In Siena the Armi d' Inghilterra is a very poor Italian inn, but is managed by civil people. The sights of Cervetri must be visited in time to catch the evening train to Rome, "for the only inn at Cervetri is so utterly wretched, it would scarcely be possible to spend the night there." Elsewhere he highlights other inns that offer excellent lodging.

We pass through some areas in the daytime only (like Volci) that were largely uninhabited due to the prevalence of malaria. Large, smoky bonfires were maintained to fight the mosquitoes, but with little success. For exploring more remote areas Hare instructs the traveler on proper rates for renting mules and donkeys.

Travel in the nineteenth century was certainly more difficult, but it was also more leisurely. Take your time as you examine the detailed drawings and descriptions by Augustus Hare. As you read, imagine yourself following in Hare's footsteps, stopping to make sketches and drawings at least once or twice a day. Pleasant journeys!