In the summer of 1844, taking a break from novel-writing, the thirty-two-year-old Charles Dickens embarked on a long tour of Italy with his wife, his five children and his young sister-in-law. Struck by the scenery and the rapid diorama of monuments and novelties around him, the celebrated author of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol captured his experiences and impressions in most vivid detail. The result is a travelogue like no other, written by one of the finest writers of his time.

Abounding in colour and humour, and interspersed with unforgettable set pieces, such as the beheading of a robber witnessed in Rome by the author and the hilarious description of a tourist guide's ruinous tumble down the slope of Mount Vesuvius, Pictures from Italy is yet another proof of Charles Dickens's genius and versatility.