In the summer of 1819 Turner paid his first visit to Italy. He went from Calais to Paris, followed the usual coach route to Turin, and, having explored the north Italian lakes, he reached Venice by way of Milan and Brescia. He must have spent some time in Venice to judge from the large number of sketches he made there. Making his way along the coast of the Adriatic he turned inland at Ancona, and following the high post road through Recanati and Macerata, entered the Via Flaminia at Foligno, and saw Rome for the first time, probably some time in September or October. From Rome he explored Frascati and Tivoli, and made a tour to Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum. He left Rome in December, visited Florence, and re-crossed the Alps on the 24th January 1820. He returned through Piedmont and France, and we find him dining at Grosvenor Place with the Fawkses on Saturday, 12th February. During the next few months he must have been frequently in the society of his friends, as his name constantly recurs in the entries of Mrs. Fawkes’s diary. The following extracts will speak for themselves:-- “Monday, 14th Feb., 1820. Went a large party to see the Panorama of Lausanne. Turner and Mr. Lomax dined with us. Sunday, 27th Feb. B. King, E. Parker, Turner, Mr. Lomax and W. Beaumont dined with us. Sunday, 9th April. Drove out with Walter to Whitly and Turner’s Garden. E. Parker dined with us. Sunday, 30th April. Mr. Swinburne, Parker, Turner dined with us. Sunday, 7th May. Walter out in Phaeton. Mr. Swinburne, Parker, Turner and Alston and Mills dined with us. Sunday, 21st May. Lord Belmore came to pay a visit. Maria and I went to Warwick St. Chapel. Turner and Swinburne dined with us. Monday, 5th June. Walter, two of the girls, and I went to Salt Hill. Saw the Boat Race. Young Knight fell from his horse. Broke his arm. Fine day. Wet afternoon. Mr. Swinburne and Turner.