Mediterranean Vistas: Producing the Touristic Gaze of Coastal Space

During the 19th century, the Mediterranean Sea witnessed a significant increase in the mobility of people and goods, due in part to advancements in transportation technologies. This newfound access to regions surrounding the Mediterranean coincided with the rise of a distinct tourist class and its accompanying industries. In this process, guidebooks played a pivotal role in orchestrating touristic encounters across the region. As a genre, tourist guides also experienced a rapid growth, offering vivid descriptions of various Mediterranean destinations, ranging from the Ottoman Middle East to the South of France. However, it was not until the 1880s that guidebooks encompassing the entirety of the Mediterranean emerged. These comprehensive guides were instrumental in cultivating a panoramic perspective of the Mediterranean, its cities, and its architecture, effectively connecting the region into a cohesive whole, the sea becoming a conduit for delineating, choreographing, and experiencing the Mediterranean and its built environments.