The late 18th century saw the emergence of German women writers in the field of travel writing. Underlying their efforts was a gender-specific code of rules that restricted them both stylistically and in terms of subject-matter. The study inquires into the external and internal conditions imposed on travel and travel writing as undertaken by German women writers and points up the very considerable differences between those obtaining for their male counterparts and also for women writers from other countries. A biographical and bibliographic annex provides background information on the German women writers referred to.