Introduction

Before the rise of mass media and modern tourism, travelogues played a crucial role in shaping knowledge of distant places and cultures. This volume, The Mediterranean in Travel Literature, explores travel writing by Central European authors who journeyed through the Mediterranean from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. Drawing on contributions originating from an international interdisciplinary conference held at the University of Udine on October 2-3, 2024, the book examines travelogues as key sources for understanding intercultural encounters, perceptions of alterity, and the relationship between geography, literature, and cultural identity. Organized into three thematic sections, the volume addresses theoretical approaches to travel writing, Central European representations of Italy and the Adriatic, and lesser-studied destinations such as Spain, Greece, and the Near East. Through literary, geographical, imagological, and historical perspectives, the contributions highlight how travel narratives reflect both the cultures encountered and the travellers’ own social, ideological, and national backgrounds. Overall, the volume underscores the significance of Mediterranean travelogues as valuable documents of intercultural experience and cultural self-reflection.