Dr. Cristina Mondin, an archaeologist and researcher at the University of Padua, will introduce us to this fascinating figure. We will also be joined by Freya Stark’s goddaughter, Freya Lo Giudice, who, through anecdotes and personal experiences, will reveal the more private side of the woman considered one of the last great romantic travelers.

Freya Stark (1893–1993) was one of the great explorers and writers of the 20th century, known for her courage, curiosity, and sensitivity as she ventured into regions that were largely inaccessible to Westerners—and even more so to women—of her time. Among her most iconic journeys is her expedition in the 1930s to a mysterious and then-barely-mapped region in southern Arabia, Hadramaut, part of present-day Yemen. 

Driven by a desire to follow the legendary Incense Route, which for centuries connected Arabia with the Mediterranean, Stark embarked on a journey through deserts, canyons, and fortified cities, defying not only geographical boundaries but also the social norms imposed on female travelers. This lecture will explore Freya Stark’s role as a writer, explorer, and witness to a Yemen on the brink of transformation.

The presentation will also examine Stark’s role in the history of exploration, her prolific literary work, and her contribution to our understanding of southern Arabia and the Middle East in general.