Great Travel Reads: books set in Italy
Oh Italy - a land where history whispers through ancient ruins and Renaissance masterpieces, beckons dreamers with its irresistible allure. From the romantic canals of Venice to the sun-kissed Amalfi Coast, to the less touristy south, every corner holds a story waiting to be discovered. The passion Italians have for their food, wine, family, and art tantalizes the senses and fuels the imagination of many an author (and reader)!
These book recommendations only include:
novels I’ve personally rated 4 (a great read!) or 5 (amazing) on Goodreads and
stories that have helped me “travel” to other places.
The lists will continue to grow and be edited! Check back or subscribe to my email list for updates! (last updated May 2024)
Disclosure: Please note that links on this page are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.❤️
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
A memoir set in Rome and parts of Umbria
3.93 ⭐️’s on Goodreads (I gave it a 5 - you know when you read the right book at the right time?!?)
Plot summary: From the author of All the Light We Cannot See (also so good!). This is a memoir of the timeless beauty of Rome and the day-to-day wonderment of living, writing, and raising twin boys in a foreign city.
“Exquisitely observed, Four Seasons in Rome describes Doerr's varied adventures in one of the most enchanting cities in the world. He reads Pliny, Dante, and Keats—the chroniclers of Rome who came before him—and visits the piazzas, temples, and ancient cisterns they describe. He attends the vigil of a dying Pope John Paul II and takes his twins to the Pantheon in December to wait for snow to fall through the oculus. He and his family are embraced by the butchers, grocers, and bakers of the neighborhood, whose clamor of stories and idiosyncratic child-rearing advice is as compelling as the city itself.”
My thoughts: I find Doerr’s vivid, lyrical writing addictive! Not only did he do justice to the self-absorbed state of being a new parent, but he captured the beauty, magic, challenges, and complexities of temporarily living in Rome. This short book is a tapestry of many little moments. Some of my favourite quotes:
“Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience - buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello - become new all over again.”
“Not knowing is always more thrilling than knowing. No-knowing is where hope and art and possibility and invention come from. It is not-knowing, that old, old thing, that allows everything to be renewed.”
“What we eat is a poem. Campenella soffiata alla caciottina locale con fonduta di parmigiano e tartufo nero; strengozzi alla Spoletina con pomodori, peperoncino, pecorino e prezzemolo; lombello di maialino n rrete di lardo della Valnerina, salsa delicata al pecorino e pere al rosso di Montefalco; e sformatino caldo al cioccolato con crema all’arancia.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Commissario Brunetti series by Donna Leon
Crime fiction/mysteries set in and around Venice.
3.85 ⭐️’s on Goodreads
Plot summary: There is little violent crime in Venice, a serenely beautiful floating city of mystery and magic, history and decay. But the evil that does occasionally rear its head is the jurisdiction of Guido Brunetti, the suave, urbane vice-commissario of police and a genus at detection. Brunetti solves the crime! The books blend crime fiction, Venetian charm, style, and social commentary. Follow Brunetti through the labyrinth of Venice’s canals as the author uses these stories to unpack interesting themes about justice, morality, politics, and human nature.
My thoughts: I would suggest starting with book one - Death at La Fenice, because with each book you will fall further in love with the charming, honest, and intelligent Commissario Brunetti just a little more. With over 30 books in this series, Brunetti will eventually feel like an old friend. The books are gentle - don’t expect fast-paced thrills. I personally love this, as it’s a refreshing change from many mysteries. I also love how Donna Leon makes Venice an integral part of the stories. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
Historical fiction and mystery set in Sicily
4.13 ⭐️’s on Goodreads
Plot summary: This novel is rooted in the author’s personal family history about a long-awaited trip to Sicily, a disputed inheritance, and a family secret that some will kill to protect. Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie’s death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara’s great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered.
My thoughts: I read this dual-timeline novel after returning from a trip to Sicily. Piazza’s descriptive writing transported me back with no-holds-back descriptions of the alluring charms, friendly people, crazy traffic, history of corruption, poverty, and beauty, “everything was either insanely beautiful or a terrible disaster.”
TBH, I was lukewarm to the main character Sara, but I loved the way the author (also a journalist) shared Sicilian history that is often overshadowed by other places in Italy or twisted by a Hollywood version of the Mafia. The story has a strong feminist storyline that underpins the mystery. Sprinkled throughout are Sicilian words, customs, and food! Interestingly, I read one review that suggested getting the audiobook to hear the correct pronunciations was helpful - brilliant idea! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Good Left Undone by Andriana Trigiani
Historical fiction set in Tuscany, Marseilles, and Scotland
3.98 ⭐️’s on Goodreads
Plot summary: Matelda, the Cabrelli family's matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother's great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew.
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool--where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause--as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. Years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family's legacy. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.
My thoughts: It took me a bit to get into this story, but once I did I was surprised at how much I learned through the engaging storyline. My previous knowledge about how WWII influenced life in Italy was slim. The book spans a couple of generations, so it’s not just a WWII book, it is also a love story and a beautiful reminder of how strong family and community can be woven into a culture. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pompeii by Robert Harris
Historical fiction
on Goodreads
Plot Summary: The engineer Marius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. His predecessor has disappeared. And now there is a crisis somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Marius -- decent, practical, incorruptible -- promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. But as he heads out towards Vesuvius he is about to discover there are forces that even the world’s only superpower can’t control.
My thoughts: This was fascinating! Pompeii recreates the most famous natural disasters of all time but focuses on the characters of an engineer and a scientist. I thought the perspective was original, and because you KNOW what’s going to happen - the anticipation and building terror is incredible! I learned SO much about aqueducts too - which, if you can visit Italy, you will appreciate all the more!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
