Photo: Contiki
Right, it’s time that I confess: upon watching the third season of Bridgerton, I was surprised when the family seemed shocked at the fact Colin had visited not only Italy but ALSO France in the space of 3 months. I thought ‘huh? You could do France and Italy in a week if you wanted to!’, but I forgot that they didn’t have EasyJet back then…
Anyway, Colin Bridgerton, the leading man of season 3 of everyone’s favourite steamy regency drama, has just gotten back from his Grand Tour through Europe and now he’s ready to find a wife! Despite him acting like that one kid you meet at university who’s just returned from their gap year, you can’t deny that Colin’s travels have really allowed him to grow and turn into quite the strapping young bachelor. But let’s not get distracted by his looks – what the heck is a Grand Tour?!
Let’s find out.
What is a Grand Tour?
Some might say that a Grand Tour is the forefather of Contiki… A wild whizz around the world and a chance to encounter new cultures, meet people from all over, experience new and exciting things, and just generally have a blast. I mean, that’s exactly what we offer (but we do it in only a fraction of the time a Grand Tour would have taken).
Grand Tours were a custom of the Regency era and beyond in Europe’s elite circles, and they were considered a rite of passage for aristocratic young men. These trips weren’t the same as a week-long holiday we’d take nowadays – partly because they generally took a year or two to complete! These voyages were intended as a way of capping off a young man’s education before entering the real world, thus allowing them to mature away from home.
So, it’s basically a gap year, but fancier.
Image source:Contiki
Where did you go on a Grand Tour?
Typically, a Grand Tour was a whirl through some of Europe’s ancient destinations as the young men going on them would have spent a lot of time studying the Classics. The Grand Tour was therefore an opportunity for them to put their knowledge to use and experience what they were told in the books.
The most common stops on a Grand Tour included cities like Paris, Marseille, Florence, Rome, Athens, Pompeii, and Venice. As these tours were designed for students proficient in Greek, Latin, and the Arts, these cities’ vast histories were the perfect destinations.
If you want to follow a similar course, we can’t recommend our European multi-country classics enough!
Where did Colin Bridgerton go on his Grand Tour?
The full details of Colin’s Grand Tour haven’t been divulged in the show. In fact, the only details we get are through passing wisps of conversation. This is what we’ve managed to piece together:
In season 1, it seems Colin was prepared to head off to Greece, so it’s safe to assume that he did eventually get around to visiting the Ionian and Mediterranean seas and the Greek islands that are dotted in them.
In season 3, during the scene in which Colin gifts each of his family members with a souvenir, we figure out that he visited Paris and Marseille in France, as well as Italy, Spain, and Germany. Colin also gave his brother Anthony and mother Violet a gift, however the provenance of these is unknown.
Perhaps Violet’s pocket-watch came from Switzerland, and Anthony’s crystal paperweight came from somewhere in Greece? Who’s to say… You should probably launch an investigation and travel to these places (and more) to figure it out!
Image source:Contiki
Which souvenir would Colin bring back for you?
Speaking of souvenirs, Colin put a lot of thought into each gift, taking into account his family members’ various attributes and interests. The sheet music for Francesca and the book for Eloise are particularly touching gifts.
But, if you were a Bridgerton, which one would you receive? Well, we’ve devised this quiz below that’ll help you find out and perhaps plan a Grand Tour of your own.
