Italienische Reise

Italienische Reise, or Italian Journey, tells of Goethe's travels in Italy in the later 1780s, put together from his letters and diaries. He visits Venice, Rome, Naples and Sicily, studying ancient ruins, paintings, landscapes, rocks and plants. The journey was a turning point, renewing his sense of classical art and his own purpose as a writer. The book is both a travel account and a record of personal change, full of observation and delight.