It's an Italy from a time before budget airlines, cruise ships and packaged holidays. Stunning photos have emerged showing some of the country's most precious historical sites, from Cathedral Square in Pisa to the Grand Canal of Venice, in age before mass tourism. The pictures, shot between 1890 and 1900, are part of a collection of Victorian postcards held by the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. 

They show what the country looked like to men and women taking part in the 'Grand Tour' of Europe, a traditional voyage taken by wealthy young aristocrats. The custom first started to emerge in the mid-17th century and flourished well into the 19th century, when the advent of large-scale rail transport made it easier for the middle and lower classes to travel.