Female travel archives: cultural and social itineraries in Beatrice Lanza Branciforti diaries

Abstract

Beatrice Lanza Branciforti was a sicilian countess who lived throughout the 19th century. She traveled extensively, man-aged her patrimonial and personal interests and, together with Lucio Mastrogiovanni Tasca, established the house of the Counts of Almerita. Her 13 diaries, along with the other documents that constitute her travel archive, provide a window into 19th-century trends: destinations, itineraries, encounters, and leisure activities are central to this narrative through text and images.