Travels on the Continent

Mariana Starke (1762–1838) was a popular writer of practical travel guides. This 1820 guide to continental Europe offers practical information for the traveller, alongside sightseeing tips and advice for those journeying to a warmer climate for their health. It is a rich source of information on early nineteenth-century travel.

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Mariana Starke (1762–1838) was an ideal travel guide: she lived and travelled in Italy for much of the 1790s and had a truly practical mind, predicting perfectly what a traveller might need to know about both the journey and the destination. Travels on the Continent, first published in 1820, was partly based on her earlier bestseller Travels in Italy (also reissued in this series) but featured completely updated information based on extensive research during the late 1810s. Noting the latest improvements in transport and accommodation, which had both become more comfortable in Europe during the previous thirty years, the guide covers most of mainland Europe. For each popular route Starke offers itineraries and journey times, as well as recommendations for sightseeing and the best inns. In particular, she offers advice to the many travellers of the time who sought to improve their health through a change of climate.