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HISTORY OF TOURISM : DOING THE ORIGINAL GRAND TOUR

1. Read this newspaper articleand match the subheadings with the paragraphs:

A walk too far The jesters journey Setting the trend A local hero

A couple from Odcombe, Somerset, have just completed a remarkable journey following in the footsteps of

Thomas Coryate, a 17th century traveller who pioneered the Grand Tour.

1.

Odcombe is a small village in the south of England with only one claim to fame. In 1608 Thomas Coryate, the

vicars son, walked from Odcombe to Italy. His account of that journey became a guidebook for hundreds of

wealthy young men who took what became known as the Grand Tour. Chris Worledge and Michele Roberts

grew up knowing all about Odcombes famous son, and decided to pay tribute to him by undertaking the

same journey. They followed Coryates original route as closely as possible, walking through France, over the

Alps and across Italy, and arriving in Venice four months later.

2.

Thomas Coryate was born in Odcombe in 1576, son of the parish priest. On his fathers death, Coryate

moved to London and joined the court of Prince Henry, eldest son of James I. Known for his wit, he became

a kind of unofficial jester and was friends with many of the prominent people at the time, including William

Shakespeare. Tiring of life at court, in 1608 he set off on his first epic journey, to walk to Venice and back.

3.

Coryate walked over 2000 miles and visited many of the most important cities in France, Italy and Germany,

an incredible feat, but one that would probably have gone unnoticed if he hadnt written a detailed journal

on the way. Back in Britain, Coryate had problems getting his book published, but in 1611 Coryates

Crudities finally came out. It was a big success. Londons elite were interested in all things Italian, and

Coryates accounts of life in Italy was read avidly, especially his descriptions of the use of table forks,

unknown in Britain at the time. Young men of means began copying his journey, using Crudities as a

guidebook, doing what became known as the Grand Tour of Europe.

4.

By 1613 Coryate was restless again. He had grown up on tales of the mysterious East, and decided that this

time he would travel on foot through Asia. He headed to Greece, and then by ship to Allepo. His route tookhim through Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, eventually reaching India after more than a year and 10,000 miles of

arduous travelling. He had planned to continue to China, but the journey had taken its toll on his health, and

he died in 1617, after a final 400 mile walk to the port of Surat, where he had booked a passage back to

Britain.

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2. Check your understanding with these questions:

1. Why did Chris and Michelle decide to walk to Venice and back?

a. Because they wanted to write a guidebook about the trip.

b. Because they wanted to be the first people to do it.

c. Because they came from the same place as a person who did it before.

2. When did Thomas Coryate move to London?

a. In 1576.

b. After his father died.

c. After he walked to Italy.

3. Why did Thomas Coryate decide to walk to Venice?

a. Because he was bored with life in court.

b.Because he couldnt get a job as a jester.

c. Because he wanted to visit friends there.

4. Why was his book so successful?

a. Because people in London were very interested in Italy.

b. Because it described Italian food in detail.

c. Because it described a lot of important European cities.

5. When he set off in 1613, where did Coryate plan to walk to?

a. Greece.

b.Indis.

c. China.

6. What was Coryate about to do when he died?

a. Return to Britain.

b. Sail to China.

c. Walk to Surat.

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3. Match the words and definitions:

travel flight touristy excursion voyage day trip

holidaymaker cruise tourism industry abroad

to go from one place to another the business of providing travel services for people describes a place that is unattractive because of too much tourism a long journey, especially by ship a short journey to a place and back a visit to a place and back in one day a person on holiday journey on a ship, when you visit several places journey in an aircraft a foreign country