Grand Tour

The greatest vigilance had to be exercised in dealing with the “outside” world which, judging by the alarmist or plaintive tone that predominates in the accounts, seemed to be peopled by scoundrels ready to take advantage of the traveler as soon as he abandoned the protective shell of his carriage. In reality Italy was safer than visitors like to paint it, but that's how it always is: adventurous memories are cherished more dearly than the duller ones of everyday life.

Travelers told stories of bandits galore, almost all of them based on “hearsay.” What with the fear of actually meeting them, and the romantic aura that surrounded them, brigands play a fairly substantial part in accounts of journeys, especially the ones that aimed to satisfy their readers' thirst for adventure. The danger was in fact limited to the Papal States, the Neapolitan provinces and, later on, Sicily. In addition, it seems clear that «even in notoriously infested places [...] the carriages of foreigners were not the target favored by bandits more interested in kidnapping merchants and local landowners» (Brilli, 2004).

As a defense against them, on top of the obvious precaution of never giving lifts to strangers, those with a combative spirit might rely on a good pair of pistols, something that was always recommended as part of the prudent traveler's equipment. If you did fall foul of bandits then your fate was to be carried off into the surrounding countryside and held for ransom. After the Napoleonic campaigns, during which bandits were employed as irregular combatants against the French, the phenomenon was viewed in an even more romantic light. The ones who took advantage of the amnesty granted by the Church States and served their short sentence in Castel Sant'Angelo often received visits from foreigners, becoming one of the most fashionable tourist attractions. Ladies, especially if English, admired their fierce but fascinating appearance.

It was also fundamental, for your own security, to be on your guard in public places. Streets and taverns were the natural haunt of thieves and cheats: heaven help those who displayed their jewelry, snuff boxes or watches. It was much wiser to conceal them, perhaps inside a belt to be worn under the clothing. You had to keep an eye out for impostors too, and not let yourself be deceived by wigs, bejeweled hands and elegant dress: all expedients designed to take in the naïve. Another person to be avoided with care was the professional cardsharp, who often relied on the complicity of complaisant waiters or hotel maids, chosen for their voluptuousness, to lure the foreigner. Finally courtesans were to be avoided at all costs. Here the threat was twofold, to your pocket and your health. Should the traveler be so unfortunate as to contract a venereal disease, the recommended remedy was continence (although a little late in the day), treatment with mercury and a diet rich in decoctions and dairy products.