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Taking the development of picturesque tourism in Wales since the publication of William Gilpin's Observations on the River Wye (1782) as point of departure, this article examines three Anglophone illustrated travel accounts by French tourists during the Romantic period, focusing on the co-occurrence of text and images as they may confirm, destabilize, or even contradict each other. The diachronic approach to these early illustrated travel accounts uncovers the adaptation of aesthetic ideas and ideals across national borders and their subsequent influence on interpretations and representations of Wales. The article shows how French tourists utilized different aspects of the picturesque to demonstrate their aesthetic education or political affiliations, or to criticize social injustices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the English travelogue "A Tour Thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain" by Daniel Defoe. The author presents Defoe's description of Wales and explains the location and analyzes the significance of a number of specific sites mentioned by Defoe.

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This article explores examples of published and unpublished works by three women writers (Hester Thrale Piozzi, Mary Morgan and Elizabeth Isabella Spence) which encompass travels and tours in north and south Wales as well as spanning what might be termed pre-Romantic and Romantic eras of travel writing from the mid-1770s to the early 1800s. These accounts span a significant period in the history of travel writing and of shifting perceptions of Wales from a backward and uncivilised land to a place venerated for its ancient bardic culture and sublime landscapes. The present essay thus attempts to illustrate and explore not only the individual and varied modes of travel writing adopted by women writers but also the changes in women's representations of Wales in this key historical period, from a relatively obscure destination in the 1770s to a recognisable tourist attraction by 1809. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the 1967 visit by American Beat poet Allen Ginsberg to the Wye River Valley and the Vale of Ewyas in Wales. As a result of the trip, Ginsberg was inspired to write poetry which paid homage to English poets William Blake and William Wordsworth. The reception of Blake and Wordsworth by the American counterculture of the 1960s is explored. Poems discussed include Ginsberg's "Wales Visitation" and Wordsworth’s "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798"

Literary critics have recently begun to draw attention to 'national Gothic', outlining the importance of themes of conflict and defeated and victorious histories in this form of the Gothic. The contested and unsettled history of Wales provides the perfect conditions for a national Gothic, yet little work has yet been done towards the notion of a specifically Welsh Gothic in the period following the French revolution. This article explores four variations on the theme of writing Gothic in revolution-era Wales: a tourist Gothic, a Jacobin Gothic, a loyalist Gothic and a post-colonial Gothic. It shows how writers of this period used the conflicts and iniquities of the Welsh past equally to illustrate Wales's incorporation within a larger united Britain and to figure its otherness, its familiar difference, relative to its historical enemy - England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A subject index to the travel guide "The Best of England and Wales" is presented.

The article advises tourists when to travel to England and Wales. In terms of the weather, evenings in the two countries are cool even in summer but hotels are said to have central heating systems. Airlines offer the cheapest fares during the off-season, from November 1 to December 12 and from December 25 to March 14. A calendar of events for England and Wales is also presented, including the London Boat Show in January, the Crufts Dog Show in March, and Henley Royal Regatta.

The article offers traveler's guide to special interest trips and escorted general interest tours in England and Wales. Travel agencies offering bicycle trips include the National Cycle Network, the British Tourist Authority and the Euro-Bike & Walking Tours, among others. Information on fishing tours is offered. Also mentioned are golf packages, hiking and walking trips offered by the Ramblers' Association and the Wilderness Travel Inc., horseback riding and literary tours.

The article presents a travel guide to the town of Llandudno in Wales. Llandudno is both a town and Victorian seaside resort that is situated between the headlands of the Great Orme and the Little Orme. It has two beaches with one on the northern edge of town and the other opening onto the mountains of Snowdonia and the Conwy Estuary. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Bodysgallen Hall and The Seahorse.

The article presents a travel guide to the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales. The island's landscape is filled with single-story whitewashed cottages and green fields that stretch to the sea. Visitors cross the strait by the Menai Suspension Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826, and the Britannia Bridge. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Gazelle and Glyngarth.

The article presents a travel guide to The Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales. The peninsula thrusts into the Irish Sea and is bounded by the mountains of Snowdonia on the east and by the sea. It features beaches, hills, farmland, moorland, villages and country lanes. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Hotel Portmeirion, Bron Eifion Country House Hotel and Y Maes.

The article presents a travel guide to the village of Betws-Y-Coed in Snowdonia, North Wales. The village is located in the valley of the River Conwy. It features an antique church, old bridges, stone houses and hotels. It is also a town known for having eight bridges, the most famous of which is the Waterloo Bridge. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Tan-y-Foel Country House Hotel and the Ty Gwyn.

The article presents a travel guide to the village of Llanberis in north Wales. The village serves as the starting point for going up Snowdon and it lies between Lake Padarn and Lake Peris. The Snowdon Mountain Railway runs from the village to the top of the Snowdon peak. The village is also home to the Padarn Country Park and the Dolbadarn Castle. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Legacy Royal Victoria Hotel and the Spice of Llanberis.

The article presents a travel guide to the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. The county features the smallest national park in Great Britain, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Tenby is the leading resort in the region which is filled by vacationers during the summer months. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Fourcroft Hotel and the Penally Abbey.

The article presents a travel guide to the city of Swansea in Wales. The city's earliest record in history was some 800 years ago with its Viking name derived from Sweyn's island. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Fairyhill, Swansea Marriott, Didier & Stephanie and La Braseria.

The article presents travel guide to Brecon, Wales. The market town of Brecon serves as the main base for touring Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the center of a farming section. Inside the town is found the Brecon Castle which was built in 1093. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Llangoed Hall, the Peterstone Court Country Hotel and the Griffin Inn.

The article presents a travel guide to Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff is the capital of Wales which earned an industrial reputation in the past and now turned into one of the most inviting cities of Great Britain. Among the hotels and restaurants found in the region are the Angel Hotel and the Armless Dragon.

The article offers traveler's information on specialized travel resources in England and Wales. Gay and lesbian travelers can access the Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, Gay's the Word and the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. Resources for travelers with disabilities include "Access in London," Artsline and Flying Wheels Travel. Also given are resources on family, senior, student and single travel.

The article suggests several tourist destinations in England and Wales. These include the Windsor Castle and Eton College, in the Thames Valley, cathedrals in Hampshire & Wiltshire, the towns of Glastonbury in Somerset, and Exmoor and Dartmoor in Devon, and the Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire. Other regions mentioned are the Cotswolds, the Lake District, Yorkshire & Northumbria, and Cardiff & South Wales.