Beginning with Herodotus, Brian Fagan presents an anthology of writings from some of best known, most  interesting and most adventurous antiquarian travel writers. The  book traces the points at which people began to travel to  unchartered territories, exploring new cultures, sites and  monuments from ancient Greece and Rome, ancient Egypt and the  Near East, to central Asia and South America. The thoughts,  memories and musings of the collectors, scholars and travellers  of the Renaissance, and their renewed interest in all things  classical, are discussed, before turning to the affluent  travellers of the Grand Tour. Names such as Edward Gibbon, John  Lloyd Stephens, Sir Aurel Stein, Hiram Bingham, the Earl of  Elgin, Amelia B. Edwards, Thomas Cook and Paul Theroux, step from  the pages, both in their own words and those of Brian Fagan. The  good and bad aspects of the development of modern archaeological  tourism are examined as Brian Fagan considers whether we have  irrevocably lost the freedom that our forebears once enjoyed to  really experience ancient sites and monuments around the world.  Fagan's insights and experiences link the excerpts together  making this a richly rewarding read.