• Constantinople, Turkey

    Submitted by scott on

    Known as Istanbul since 1939, Twain arrived aboard the Quaker City August 17, 1867.  The ship remained there for two days then continued into the Black Sea.  Eight fellow passengers remained in the city until the ship returned to take on coal August 29.  It remained for 5 days.  Twain was particularly impressed with the Stamboul's bazaar.

  • Marseilles, France

    Submitted by scott on

    The first continental European city visited by Mark Twain. He first arrived on July 4, 1867 as a passenger on the Quaker City and the next day left for Paris. He returned toboard the Quaker City July 13. While there, he visited the zoological gardens and Castle d'If. (Mark Twain A to Z) When the Quaker City arrived in Marseilles on the evening of 4 July, Clemens, Jackson, and Slote left the ship, taking rooms at the Grand Hôtel du Louvre et de la Paix, the largest hotel in the city, on Rue Noailles.

  • Basel, Switzerland

    Submitted by scott on

    Basel has often been the site of peace negotiations and other international meetings. The Treaty of Basel (1499) ended the Swabian War. Two years later Basel joined the Swiss Confederation. The Peace of Basel in 1795 between the French Republic and Prussia and Spain ended the First Coalition against France during the French Revolutionary Wars. In more recent times, the World Zionist Organization held its first congress in Basel from 29 August through 31 August 1897.

  • Florence, Italy

    Submitted by scott on

    The City of Florence became Twain's favorite Italian city, despite his first experiences in 1867. Annexed by Sardinia in 1860, it was the Kingdom of Italy's first capital from 1865 to 1870, when Rome joined the kingdom.

  • Heidelberg, Germany

    Submitted by scott on

    May 5 or May 6 Monday – The Clemens family arrived in Heidelberg, Germany and stayed at the beautiful Schloss Hotel, which overlooked the old castle with its forest setting, the flowing Neckar River, and the distant valley of the Rhine. https://daybyday.marktwainstudies.com/vol-1-section-0036/ Vol 1 Section 0036 – Mark Twain Day By Day

    The family returned to Heidelberg for a week in August and September of 1891, before moving to Switzerland.


    See Bædeker The Rhine from Rotterdam to Constance, 1873 page 176

  • Damascus

    Submitted by scott on

    Sam and companions arrived in Damascus at sunset on September 14, 1867. They departed at noon on September 16, traveling to Kefr Hauwar. Mark Twain Project: Quaker City Itinerary

    The most fanatical Mohammedan purgatory out of Arabia

  • Berlin, Germany

    Submitted by scott on

    Capital of Germany, Twain's first visit was in 1891.  He and his family moved into an apartment on Kornerstrasse, but later moved to Hotel Royal on Unter den Linden while he was in America.  They remained there until March of 1892.  They returned for two weeks in May and June of 1892 and four days in June and July of 1893.

  • Beirut, Lebanon

    Submitted by scott on

    Beirut was technically under Turkish rule was was effectively a British and French protectorate at the time of Twain's visit.  The Quaker City arrived September 9, 1867 and departed for Jaffa six days later.  Many of the passengers began overland journeys from Beirut.  Twain and seven others took the long trip.

  • Athens, Greece

    Submitted by scott on

    Quaker City passengers were quarantined at Piraeus but Sam and companions snuck ashore and visited Athens at night, August 14, 1867. Mark Twain Project: Quaker City Itinerary

    Intended to be a highlight of the Quaker City cruise, fear of cholera caused local officials to bar anyone from coming ashore. The passengers could only make out the Acropolis from the ship through spyglasses. That night Twain, with three others went ashore and made there way to the Acropolis and back. Two others did the same later that night and two more attempted but failed, barely avoiding arrest.

  • Paris, France

    Submitted by scott on

    Mark Twain first visited Paris July 6, 1867 as part of his "Innocents Abroad" excursion. In late February of 1879 he returned with his family and stayed until July. "The weather was miserably cold; he suffered from rheumatism and dysentery and spent most of his time in bed." Again in June of 1891, he passed through the city returning three years later for a stay of from March until June of 1894, then from October 1894 through May of 1895. (Mark Twain A to Z)

  • Genoa, Italy

    Submitted by scott on

    The Quaker City made port there July 14, 1867 and Mark Twain spent two days sight seeing before taking the train to Alessandria and Milan. The ship stayed in port nine days before sailing to Leghorn. Twain also passed through this city en route to Florence, with his family in November of 1903 and sailed from there with his daughters after Livy died the following June.

    From Baedeker:

  • Frankfurt, Germany

    Submitted by scott on

    May 3 & 4, 1878

     We made a short halt at Frankfort-on-the-Main, and found it an interesting city. I would have liked to visit the birthplace of Gutenburg, but it could not be done, as no memorandum of the site of the house has been kept. So we spent an hour in the Goethe mansion instead. The city permits this house to belong to private parties, instead of gracing and dignifying herself with the honor of possessing and protecting it.

  • Pisa, Italy

    Submitted by scott on

    Sam and companions spend two hours in Pisa, July 25, 1867 then depart for Leghorn. Mark Twain Project: Quaker City Itinerary

    Pisa, a quiet town, with 25,000 inhab., is considered a favourable winter-residence for invalids on account of the mildness and moisture of its atmosphere. The heat in summer is oppressive. The Pisae of the ancients was one of the oldest cities of Etruria. It lay at the confluence of the Arnus and Auser (Serchio), which latter now empties itself into the sea. The present town, through which the Arno flows, lies about 2 1/2 M. from the coast.