With Mark Twain in Florence
Content
Mark Twain visited Florence several times – as a skeptical tourist in 1867, as a passing visitor in 1878, and later twice for many months as a resident of rented villas in the hills above the city. Here you can read where the American author lived, what he wrote about Florence and Pisa, and what remains of it today.
Mark Twain and Florence at a glance
- 1867: First visit to Florence and Pisa on the trip with the steamer "Quaker City" – described in The innocent abroad* (1869)
- 1878: Another short stay in Italy during the European tour, which resulted in "A Tramp Abroad" (1880).
- 1892/93: Villa Viviani in Settignano (25. September 1892 bis 15. Juni 1893) – hier entstand ein erster Entwurf von „Pudd’nhead Wilson“
- 1903/04: Villa di Quarto am Fuß des Monte Morello; dort starb am 5. Juni 1904 seine Frau Olivia
Twain's Travels to Florence
1867: The mocking tourist
On his first major European tour in 1867, Twain visited Florence and Pisa with a group of American travelers. He published his impressions in 1869 in * The Innocents Abroad *. In the chapter on Tuscany, he—typically Twain—takes aim at the enthusiasm of art tourists: He mocks the Arno River, which in summer seemed to him little more than a stream, gets lost in the city, and climbs the Leaning Tower in Pisa. Those following in his footsteps today can find the stops in our Florence travel guide and on the page about the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
1878: Short detour
During his European tour, which resulted in the book "A Tramp Abroad" (1880), Twain briefly visited Italy and Florence again in 1878. However, Tuscany plays only a minor role in this book – the detailed description of Florence is found in "The Innocents Abroad."
1892/93: A year at the Villa Viviani in Settignano
From September 25, 1892, to June 15, 1893, the Clemens family lived at Villa Viviani in Settignano, a hamlet in the hills northeast of Florence. Twain raved about the view over the city and worked very productively there: among other things, he created an early draft of "Pudd'nhead Wilson." In retrospect, he described his time at the villa as an almost ideal life.
1903/04: The Villa di Quarto
In the autumn of 1903, on doctor's advice, the family moved back to Florence because of Olivia Clemens's illness – this time to the Villa di Quarto (Via Pietro Dazzi) in the hilly north of the city at the foot of Monte Morello. Twain dictated parts of his autobiography here and described the villa in a decidedly bad mood. Olivia died at the villa on June 5, 1904; shortly afterward, Twain left Italy.
Following in Mark Twain's footsteps in Florence
The two villas are not museums. Nevertheless, a trip to Settignano is worthwhile for the view over Florence, which Twain himself praised. This literary exploration can easily be combined with classic sightseeing, such as a walk across the Ponte Vecchio or a visit to Pisa . Guided city tours and tickets for Florence can be found at GetYourGuide . Our page on the province of Florence also provides an overview of Florence and its surrounding area.
Frequently asked questions about Mark Twain in Florence
When did Mark Twain live in Florence?
Twice: from September 25, 1892, to June 15, 1893, at the Villa Viviani in Settignano, and from autumn 1903 at the Villa di Quarto, where his wife Olivia died on June 5, 1904. He had already visited Florence as a traveler in 1867 and 1878.
In which book does Mark Twain describe Florence and Pisa?
In “The Innocents Abroad” (1869), the travelogue of his 1867 journey through Europe and the Orient.
Where is Villa Viviani located?
In Settignano, a district of Florence on the hills northeast of the old town.
Is it possible to visit Mark Twain's villas?
Neither Villa Viviani nor Villa di Quarto are open to the public as museums. However, Settignano is worth a visit for the view of Florence.
What did Mark Twain write in Florence?
Among other things, a first draft of “Pudd’nhead Wilson” was created at Villa Viviani; in Villa di Quarto he dictated parts of his autobiography in 1904.
