Inspired by Jules Verne’s newly printed book Around the World in 80 Days (1872), Emilio Balli, a young Swiss from canton Ticino, undertook his own extraordinary round-the-world journey in 1878-1879. His 472-day adventure, recently told in a new book, took him from Europe to the Americas and Asia. Balli vividly described his experiences on his trip in hundreds of letters sent to his family in Cavergno, a small village in southern Ticino. He also kept a travel diary that detailed each leg of his journey, creating an exceptional archive that also includes photographs, souvenirs and relics, from shell collections to rare coins. Many of these items, lent by Balli’s descendants and supported by the University of Geneva’s Geography and Environment Faculty, were displayed in 2023 and 2024 at an exhibition at the Valmaggia Museum in Cevio. A new book documents Balli's journey Balli’s journey has also been retold in a new book, Il giro del mondo in 472 giorni (Around the World in 472 Days) ...
