Thomas Hoby’s travels exerted a profound influence on his work as a translator. His use of classical authors almost as guides, and his close reading of Leandro Alberti’s Descrittione di tutta Italia”, which became such a basic source of material in his journal that sections of it are direct translations from the Italian text, as well as his associations with foreign travellers and translators, such as William Barker, make Hoby’s role in integrating the experience of travel and translation unique. Hoby’s autographic journal, The Travaille and Lief of Me, Thomas Hoby#, provides a highly detailed running commentary on his Italian travels, undertaken in separate visits in 1549-1551 and 1554-1556. An examination of this journal reveals an extremely rare insight into the thoughts and actions of a mid-16th century author travelling abroad, and as such illuminates the practice and purpose of translation.