24 Fantastic Books About Italy That Will Take You There

Italy is one of the most popular places to visit in the world. It is filled with beautiful mountains, fantastic food, and wonderful people.

There is so much to see and do across the country, and it is pretty hard to find anyone who doesn’t want to visit there.

Fantastic Books About Italy That Will Take You There

If you are in the mood for some literature about this brilliant country but you don’t know where to start, you have come to the right place!

We have put together a list of 24 fantastic books that are all about Italy and when you read them, it will feel like you have been transported there!

Whether you are looking for some fictional Italian tales or you want a book that’s a bit more factual and informational, you are sure to find the perfect one on this list, and it may just spark your sense of adventure too!

What Are Books About Italy?

Books about Italy are pretty much exactly what you think they are – they are any book that documents anything about Italy as the main focus.

Travel books, adventure books, recipe books, and anything else that mainly focuses on Italy are very much classed as being a book all about the country.

Even if your book of choice is just talking about one specific area, such as Tuscany or Naples, this still counts too!

The book doesn’t have to be about the entire country, it just has to be about something Italian to fit into this category.

It might surprise you to know that there are a lot of books about Italy and Italian culture too!

So if you want something rooted in fact or you’d rather let your imagination run off in hillside towns, or you want to learn factual information about places like Venice or San Gimignano, there are plenty of books for you to read!

Check out the list below to find the perfect book about Italy that you will absolutely love!

Fictional Books About Italy

Call Me By Your Name By André Aciman

Call Me by Your Name: A Novel

First, on the list, we have the widely popular Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. This fiction novel tells the story of Elio Perlman.

In 1983, Elio is seventeen and spending his summer at his parent’s cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera.

Every summer, his parents bring in a doctoral student as a guest for six weeks, which requires Elio to give up his room so they can use it.

This year’s guest is the carefree and detached Oliver, who is very different from Elio, but the two find themselves attracted to each other nonetheless.

As the weeks progress, the bond between the two grows, but they are both unprepared for the consequences of their mutual attraction.

They continue in a cycle of obsession, passion, and fascination, testing the charged ground between them, and embark on a secret summer romance that will stay with them forever.

Call Me By Your Name became so popular that it was adapted into a movie starring Timothée Chalamet.

The movie even went on to be nominated for four awards and it won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards.

Pros

  • Immerses you in the beauty of Northern Italy.
  • The chemistry between the two lead characters is really good.

Cons

  • There isn’t much going on with the plot and it’s quite slow.

Clash Of Civilizations Over An Elevator In Piazza Vittorio By Amara Lakhous

Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio: A Novel

Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio is a fictional mystery novel that mixes social satire with a murder mystery.

Set in an apartment building in Rome that features a small community of culturally mixed people, the novella begins with one of the residents being murdered.

Not long after this discovery, an investigation begins and each of the neighbors is questioned.

The reader is given an all-access pass into the most colorful neighborhood in Rome, including all the interesting characters that live in the apartment complex.

The story gives each character their own opportunity to shine and take center stage, as they give evidence that they are not the right suspect.

They all recount their own drama and anxieties and how they live a life on the margins of society.

They talk about the humiliations they face in mainstream society and what comes from the overarching story is a message that anyone can identify with – regardless of where we come from in the world.

Pros

  • Every single character is fleshed out and well-developed.
  • The novel dissects the complex multicultural society of present-day Rome really well.

Cons

  • The events of the overarching story feel a bit dragged out.

The Shape Of Water By Andrea Camilleri

The Shape of Water (The Inspector Montalbano Mysteries Book 1)

The first book in a series about the sly and witty Sicilian Inspector Montalbano.

The goats in Vigàta once grazed in the now trash-strewn site that is known as the Pasture.

Now, the site is home to a different sort of enterprise – one that is filled with debauchery.

But this discreet trade is upset when two employees of the Splendor Refuse Collection Company find the body of engineer Silvio Luparello at the Pasture.

The coroner declares the deceased passed of natural causes… but this is highly unusual in Sicily.

However, Inspector Salvo Montalbano who is honest and streetwise, and compassionate to the victims he comes across is not ready to close the case.

He is being pressured to let it go by everyone, including Vigàta’s police chief, judge, and bishop, but he refuses.

All he can do is pick his way through corruption, vendetta firepower, and carefully planted clues to find out what really happened to the engineer and get to the heart of the matter.

Pros

  • All the characters are interesting and well-developed.
  • The humor is delightful with a fantastic Italian twist.

Cons

  • The sentence structures can be quite long and disjointed throughout the book.

Trieste By Daša Drndić

Trieste

Sitting alone in Gorizia, north-eastern Italy, Haya Tedeschi is surrounded by a basket filled with newspaper clippings and photographs.

She is an old woman who is waiting to be reunited with her son after a long sixty-two years.

During World War II, Haya’s son was fathered by an S.S. officer and was stolen by German authorities as part of Himmler’s clandestine ‘Lebensborn’ project.

Haya reflects on her Catholicized Jewish family’s experiences during the war which include awful events such as the concentration camps of Trieste.

Obsessed with finding her son, Haya looks through many photographs, maps, and even testimonies from the Nuremberg trials from second-generation Jews, and she also comes across witness accounts of atrocities that happened right on her doorstep.

Haya’s discoveries lead to a shocking revelation of the true horrors of the Nazi’s influence over Northern Italy.

Trieste is a novel that uses incredibly powerful language and conceptual devices to bring you a novel that is unlike any other. Gripping and harrowing, this historical fiction story is definitely worth reading.

Pros

  • The book overall is extremely well-researched and faithful to the real-time period.
  • Regardless of the difficult subject, you won’t be able to put this book down once you have started reading it.

Cons

  • It can be quite difficult to keep up with all the characters and how they relate to each other.

My Brilliant Friend By Elena Ferrante

My Brilliant Friend: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 1)

Beginning in the 1950s, My Brilliant Friend tells the story of a poor but vibrant neighborhood that lies on the outskirts of Naples.

It focuses on two characters named Lena and Lila, both of whom are best friends.

Lena and Lila have grown up together in this poor neighborhood and as they get older, they find that their lives are intertwined and their destinies are dependent on each other.

The whole novel shifts between the two girls as they argue about who is better than the other.

My Brilliant Friend is a story about a very complex friendship, and it is the first in a four-volume series, so there is plenty of Italian content for you to sink your time into!

Throughout the story, you will learn more about the neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples and the residents who can be found within the borders.

Pros

  • The book perfectly portrays the intensity of the girls’ childhood friendship.
  • The writing style is very good and very immersive.

Cons

  • The pacing gets a bit poor halfway through the book and keeping up with all the characters can be quite confusing.

Whereabouts By Jhumpa Lahiri

Whereabouts: A novel

In Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahirir, we follow an unnamed female narrator who is struggling between needing to belong and going against the tide.

She cannot decide if she wants to stay where she is or move forward.

Set over the course of a single year, we follow the narrator as she lives in an unnamed city, and as she is well in the middle of her journey, she realizes that she has lost her way.

The city she calls home is full of parks, piazzas, museums, stores, and coffee bars, all of which she travels around when she doesn’t want to feel alone.

The reader spends a lot of time with her at a pool she regularly visits, and the train station that leads to her mother.

The narrator’s mother is keeping herself secluded after the passing of her husband.

During these trips to nearby locations, the narrator interacts with colleagues, casual acquaintances, and “him”- a man who both unsettles and consoles her.

Then one day, she finds herself at sea, and her experience there makes her perspective on everything suddenly change.

This fictional tale is set in an unnamed Italian town and is Jhumpa Lahiri’s first novel written in Italian that has been translated into English.

The story is filled with poetic descriptions and emotional landscapes that will keep you engaged and immersed until the very last page.

Pros

  • The overall story is very character-driven and all the characters are described really well.
  • The book is a short one so perfect if you want something light to read.

Cons

  • Though the writing is very poetic, the novel feels more like a collection of random thoughts than a coherent story.

The Star-Crossed Sisters Of Tuscany By Lori Nelson Spielman

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

In the fictional story of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany, three second-born daughters set out to break a family curse that says they will never find love, and they go on an adventure across the Italian countryside to do so.

More than 200 years ago, Filomena Fontana cast a curse on her sister that made sure that no second-born daughter in the Fontana family would ever find lasting love.

Since that curse had been cast, every second-born daughter has had to deal with the fallout.

Some members of the family, such as second-born Emilia, a happily single baker, have claimed that it’s just a coincidence, but others, like her desperate-for-love cousin Lucy, swear the curse is real.

But when both girls are contacted by their great-aunt Poppy, they are left bewildered.

Aunt Poppy says that if they accompany her to Italy, she will meet the love of her life at the Ravello Cathedral on her eightieth birthday, and she will break the Fontana Second-Daughter Curse once and for all.

On a journey through rolling Tuscan fields, beautiful Amalfi Coast villages, and more, the three women of this cursed family are about to embark on a journey of a lifetime, and many things will happen along the way that they would never have anticipated could have been possible.

Pros

  • The many places in Italy where the story takes the reader are very immersive and filled with wanderlust.
  • The story is entertaining and the main characters are really likable.

Cons

  • The writing style can be considered to be a bit amateur, which can make it a bit hard to read.

Beautiful Ruins By Jess Walter

By Jess Walter Beautiful Ruins (Platinum Readers Circle (Center Point)) (Lrg) [Hardcover]

Beautiful Ruins begins in the year 1962 on a rocky path on the Italian coastline.

A young innkeeper looks over the waters of the Ligurian Sea and sees an apparition of a tall, thin woman, who is approaching him on a boat. He then learns that she is an actress and she is fading away.

The story then jumps to the modern day, and we are introduced to an elderly Italian man who turns up at the back lot of a movie studio- desperately searching for the mysterious woman he last saw decades earlier.

What follows is a dazzling string of events that spans over 50 years and many lives. The reader gets to peak into the lavish set of Cleopatra and even the shabby Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The reader sees into the lives of multiple characters, from the awestruck innkeeper and the actress to the idyllic producer and his assistant- as well as many other colorful characters that populate this world, and all of them are intertwined in some way or another.

Pros

  • The writing makes it easy for the reader to get lost and immersed in the story and the setting.
  • There are many subplots and stories that intertwine beautifully by the end of the novel.

Cons

  • There are some editing issues throughout the book that can ruin the immersion a little bit.

Angels & Demons By Dan Brown

Angels and Demons

Robert Langdon, a world-renowned Harvard symbologist, is summoned to a Swiss research facility in order to analyze a cryptic symbol that has been carved into a deceased physician’s chest.

What he discovers is absolutely unimaginable: there is an extremely deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church, one that comes from a centuries-old secret organization- the Illuminati.

In order to save the Vatican from a deadly time bomb, Robert Langdon joins forces with a scientist named Vittoria Vetra in Rome.

Together, both Robert and Vittoria go on a dangerous journey through sealed crypts, mysterious catacombs, and desolate cathedrals in order to find the most secret vault on Earth – the now long-forgotten Illuminati lair.

Pros

  • There are multiple twists and turns throughout the story which keeps it interesting.
  • The descriptions of most of the sites and locations within Rome are extremely detailed and accurate.

Cons

  • There is lots of information within the book that doesn’t feel very relevant to the main story.

Under A Dancing Star By Laura Wood

Under A Dancing Star

In England in the early 1930s, Bea has grown up going against the conventions of the time, but she knows that one day she will have to marry someone her parents will choose. This person needs to be rich enough to keep their family estate alive.

But Bea longs for so much more than an arranged marriage – she longs for real and passionate romance, adventure, and travel.

When she gets the opportunity to spend the summer in Italy, she finds a whole new world waiting for her.

Aside from staying with her Bohemian and eccentric uncle and his fiancée, she also meets Ben- a young and cocky artist who also happens to be extremely handsome.

It doesn’t take long for sparks to fly between Bea and Ben and one night a challenge is set. Can the pair put aside their differences and constant teasing in order to have the perfect summer romance?

They let their friends set the rules for their summer fling, but Bea and Ben do agree on one thing – they absolutely, 100% can not fall in love.

As the summer progresses, home is calling Bea and every summer does have to end… but for Bea, this could just be the beginning.

Pros

  • The story is lighthearted and fun, making it perfect for any reader who wants something lighter to read.
  • The main characters are lighthearted and easy to like which adds more to the overall story.

Cons

  • The writing style has a bit of a “fanfiction” vibe to it, which can make it a bit hard to read for more avid readers.

The Glassblower Of Murano By Marina Fiorato

The Glassblower of Murano

In the year 1681 in Venice, Glassblowing is one of the most important things in the whole Republic. Venetian mirrors are more valuable than gold, and they are a lot more precious.

The glassblowers of Murano are basically imprisoned by the evil Council of Ten, on an island in the lagoon.

Corradino Manin is the greatest artist of the glassblowers and he sells not only his methods but his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, in order to protect his secret daughter.

Fast-forward to the present day, and the reader is introduced to Leonora Manin, his descendant. Leonora leads an unhappy life in London and decides to move to Venice in order to start anew as a glassblower.

As she begins her new life, Leonora finds that her fate becomes intertwined with that of her ancestor, and she soon discovers many of the treacherous secrets that made up his life.

Pros

  • The story is a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and historical fiction.
  • The novel is incredibly suspenseful and will keep you engaged and entertained right up until the last page.

Cons

  • The character tropes and stereotypes are a bit too predictable and obvious.

Love And Gelato By Jenna Evans Welch

Love & Gelato

Love and Gelato is a fictional, young adult romance novel that follows the story of Lena as she spends time in Tuscany.

During the summer, Lena is spending time in the beautiful land of Tuscany, but she has no interest in the fairy-tale landscape and fantastic Italian sunshine.

The only reason she has found herself in Italy is that her ailing mother’s wish was that she get to know her father, so it’s not exactly a holiday.

She has no interest in getting to know her father, especially because he hasn’t been around for 16 years and all Lena wants to do is go back home.

But when she is given a journal that her mother kept while she was in Italy, she begins to uncover a whole world of secret romances, hidden bakeries, and art.

This world inspires her to follow in her mother’s footsteps and get to the bottom of a secret that has been kept for far too long.

Along the way, she meets the ever-so-charming Ren, who helps her discover the answers to this secret… a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, and even her estranged father.

Someone tells Lena that people come from all over the world to Italy to enjoy love and gelato, but more often than not, they discover so much more there.

Pros

  • Because of the journal plot device, this book feels like it is made up of two stories rather than one, which makes it more interesting.
  • The writing is clean and to the point, and the description of the Italian landscape is very immersive.

Cons

  • This book is suitable for younger audiences, and not really recommended for older, more experienced readers.

The Juliet Club By Suzanne Harper

The Juliet Club: A Novel

Kate Sanderson has a good sense of people and things, and she inherited it from her disciplined law professor mother.

She also inherited her admiration for Shakespeare from her father, who is a passionate Shakespeare scholar.

Out of the blue, she gets dumped by her boyfriend for the “practically perfect” Ashley Lawson, and Kate vows that she will never fall in love again.

She is determined to stay in control of her own destiny, and will not let anyone affect it like that ever again.

When she is accepted onto a summer Shakespeare symposium in Verona, Italy, Kate sees it as an opportunity to get over her heartbreak once and for all.

She will be able to focus on her studies and explore the beautiful, ancient architecture of Verona, and there will be no shortage of pasta and gelato.

But once she gets there, she knows she cannot resist the romance of the villa she is staying in, or the town in which Romeo and Juliet fell in love and shared their story.

On top of this, there are other Shakespeare Scholars here, especially Giacomo with his charming ways, expressive dark eyes, and tousled brown hair, who make it harder for Kate to resist.

A fun young adult romance novel, The Juliet Club gives you the chance to enjoy a lighthearted romance and explore the wonderful town of Verona, Italy!

Pros

  • The pacing is quick, but balanced, which really keeps the story interesting and engaging.
  • The parallels between Romeo and Juliet and the story are done really well.

Cons

  • The overall plot is quite predictable, so don’t expect a unique set of events or ending.

Nonfiction Books About Italy

Gomorrah By Roberto Saviano

Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System

Gomorrah is a gripping nonfiction bestseller written by Roberto Saviano that tells the story of the decline of Naples under the rule of the Camorra.

The Camorra is an organized crime network that has a large international reach and influence in many different sectors, some of which include high fashion, toxic waste disposal, and construction.

The Camorra affects many cities and villages all along the Neapolitan coast, and it is why Campania has one of the highest crime rates in all of Europe.

Roberto Saviano tells of massive cargos of Chinese goods that are shipped to Naples and very quickly transported all over Europe without being checked.

He goes as far as to investigate the Camorra’s control of many thousands of Chinese factories and he also documents the monstrously poor handling of toxic waste that is causing massive amounts of the population in not only Naples but also China and Somalia.

Gomorrah is an incredibly bold and chilling nonfiction novel that holds global significance.

Pros

  • The book gives the reader a lot of insight into what’s really going on in the crime world of Italy.
  • The author is very passionate and that comes across in both the writing and the research.

Cons

  • It features quite heavy subject matters that can make it a difficult read.

Italian Ways: On And Off The Rails From Milan To Palermo By Tim Parks

Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo

Tim Parks writes a book about Italy that has been described as “so vivid, so packed with delectable details, [they] serve as a more than a decent substitute for the real thing” (Los Angeles Times Book Review).”

The whole book is a travelog and the author’s first in a decade, which follows him as he tells the reader about the Italian Ways, by riding the country trains from all the way up north to the heel of Italy.

As Tim Park travels through the fantastic Milano Centrale station, he writes about Italy in such a way that you can’t help but to feel like you are there with him.

He paints such a majestic portrait of Italy that it will make you want to pack your bags and go and experience it for yourself.

He recounts many amazing experiences he has had with Italians and gives a beautiful insight into what the Italian Way is really all about.

Poetic, relaxing, and extremely immersive, Italian Ways: On and Off The Rails From Milan To Palermo” may be nonfiction, but the whole book feels like a fantastical adventure, which is very much what Italy in real life feels like!

Pros

  • The author illustrates and describes the Italian people and landscape in an incredibly unique way.
  • From the way the book is written, you will feel like you are breathing Italian air and it will feel like you are actually there with him.

Cons

  • There is a lot of train talk in this book, so if you aren’t a fan of trains, you may find it a bit boring.

In Other Words By Jhumpa Lahiri

In Other Words: A Memoir

At the very heart of it, In Other Words is a love story. It tells the tale of a long and sometimes difficult courtship and a passion that quickly blurs into an obsession.

As a memoir, Jhumpa Lahiri reflects on her love for the Italian language, a love that quickly captured her heart during a trip to Florence after she had finished college.

Jhumpa had studied Italian for many years, but she could never quite obtain mastery over the language.

Intent on fulfilling her dream, Jhumpa decided to move to Rome in 2012 with her family, for what she described as “a trial by fire, a sort of baptism” to help her experience a new world and a new language.

When she arrives in Rome, Jhumpa starts a journal where she only reads and writes in Italian to help her learn the language.

In Other Words follows Jhumpa as she learns to express herself in a completely different language, and it shows her thought process as she goes on this wonderful journey.

The memoir is filled with lots of exciting and emotional details, and the entire book is written with so much intensity and passion.

Pros

  • If you are trying to learn another language, you will feel immense solidarity with the author and her frustrations.
  • A very unique memoir that is all about learning a language that is very foreign to your birth language.

Cons

  • It can feel a little invasive to read this book, as every page details all the author’s frustrations and thoughts, and it can get a bit repetitive.

La Bella Figura: A Field Guide To The Italian Mind By Beppe Severgnini

La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind

This nonfiction book has been translated from Italian to English and it gives the reader insight into what Italy and the Italian people are really like.

The book takes the reader on a lively tour of modern Italy and will make you feel like you are actually in the country.

The author invites you to let go of your previous conceptions of Italian life and culture and he takes you on a journey across all the epic cities and scenic regions.

Beppe Severgnini has a very humorous way of examining the Italian psyche and it is one of the best and most authentic books about Italy that will make you feel like you are a part of this wonderful country.

You will go on a journey with Beppe Severgnini to rewrite your conceptions of the Italian people and work out which conceptions are true, and which ones are definitely not!

This nonfiction book will allow you to peek into every nook and cranny of Italy and once you have finished reading, you will feel more connected to this country than you ever did before!

Pros

  • The book gives you an incredible insight into the mind of the Italian people.
  • The writing style makes this book entertaining and quite funny, which makes it more engaging and enjoyable to read.

Cons

Midnight In Sicily: On Art, Food, History, Travel, And La Cosa Nostra By Peter Robb

Midnight in Sicily: On Art, Food, History, Travel and la Cosa Nostra

In the south of Italy, you will find the incredibly popular and beautiful island of Sicily. It is home to an ancient culture that has been calling travelers to it for centuries.

On top of the culture of Sicily, the island is also home to incredible coastlines, stark landscapes, and fantastic examples of art and archeology.

But along with the beauty, Sicily is also home to a vast amount of violence and corruption and it shrouds the entire island with its presence.

This violence and corruption are, of course, the Cosa Nostra aka the Mafia.

The author of this nonfiction novel, Peter Robb, lived in southern Italy for over 14 years, and in this book, he recounts all the literature, politics, art, and crimes he experienced during his time there.

Pros

  • There is a little bit of everything in this book, so it’s great for travel, food, and general information about Sicily.
  • The book is very informative about what the Mafia is actually like, rather than the stereotypical interpretations that are more widely accepted as the norm.

Cons

  • The subjects are all written in a way where they blend together, making them unstructured and quite disorganized.

Trieste And The Meaning Of Nowhere By Jan Morris

Trieste And The Meaning Of Nowhere

Trieste is an Italian city located on the Adriatic Sea, and it is absolutely drenched in history.

This book follows the author, Jan Morris, as she recounts her visits to Trieste for over half a century.

This nonfiction book documents Jan Morris’ meditations on the city and her musings and memories, while also sprinkling in bits of incredibly interesting history about the port city.

She also talks about some of the famous visitors that have come to the city, some of which include James Joyce to Sigmund Freud.

This book has been described as a “lyrical travelog” and feels like a “bittersweet and epic farewell” to the city in which the author has spent so many years of her life visiting, and you will feel like you have spent time in the port city of Trieste yourself once you have finished reading.

Pros

  • The book offers a lot of information on the port city of Trieste you may not already be aware of.
  • The book is very immersive and it will make you feel like you are walking the streets of Trieste yourself rather than reading them.

Cons

  • Lots of the historical information is a bit touch-and-go and questionable in its accuracy.

Eat, Pray, Love By Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Another fantastic nonfiction book, Eat, Pray, Love follows Elizabeth Gilbert as she just turns thirty and goes through a midlife crisis.

She has everything she could ever want, which includes a successful career, a husband, and a house.

But rather than feeling happy, Elizabeth feels nothing but panic and despair.

She ends up going through a divorce, and depression, and she had to completely rewrite everything she thought she would be.

In order to recover from these events, Elizabeth took a very radical step. She got rid of all of her belongings, took some time off of work, and embarked on a journey around the world – all by herself. And this book documents that whole experience.

She visits many incredible places, and one-third of the book takes place in Italy, and documents the time she spent in Rome and Naples, as she learned how to be a new version of herself and get back on her feet.

Pros

  • Through the writing style, you feel like you are going on a journey with the author and it’s very immersive.
  • The author’s time in Italy specifically transforms her in a new and positive way.

Cons

  • There is a lot going on in this book and it is hard to pinpoint what it is actually about by the time you reach the last page.

Under The Tuscan Sun By Frances Mayes

Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy

Under The Tuscan Sun takes you on a nonfictional journey through Tuscany, as Frances Mayes experiences the cuisine, life, and traditions of this beautiful place.

Over twenty years ago, Frances Mayes finds herself restoring an old villa in the heart of the striking Tuscan countryside.

She finds many treasures and secrets in this villa, some of which include faded frescos and a vineyard that is buried beneath a wildly overgrown garden.

Throughout the book, the reader learns more about the villa, as well as the nearby towns, which are filled with vibrant markets and beautiful people.

Under The Tuscan Sun is a beautiful memoir that is all about Tuscany, and when you read it, you will feel like you are actually there.

Pros

  • The author perfectly describes Tuscany in a descriptive and immersive way.
  • The writing is thoughtful and emotional and will keep you engaged the whole way through.

Cons

  • Most of the people remain nameless, which can be a bit confusing in parts.

Classic Books About Italy

Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet (Folger Shakespeare Library)

One of the most famous love stories of all time, Romeo and Juliet tells the fictional story of two star-crossed lovers as they navigate the world and their rival families.

In the town of Verona, the Montagues, and the Capulets are engaged in a perpetual feud.

Romeo is already smitten with one woman, but when he and Juliet meet, it is love at first sight and the rest is history.

The two star-crossed lovers meet in secret to profess their love for each other and they plan to marry and escape the violence they have always known. But there will be disastrous consequences…

Pros

  • This story is considered to be one of the greatest romantic tragedies of all time.
  • This is a great story to read if you are new to Shakespeare’s works.

Cons

  • The language can make this story quite difficult to comprehend and understand.

A Room With A View By E.M. Forster

A Room with a View (Warbler Classics Annotated Edition)

Lucy has always had her rigid middle-class life set out for her and she is perfectly fine with that.

But when she visits Florence with her cousin Charlotte, she finds her perfectly organized life has been thrown off balance.

She meets lots of interesting and quirky characters at the Pension Bertolini, some of which include Eleanor Lavish, a flamboyant novelist, and George, the passionate son of the shy Mr. Emerson.

Lucy finds herself torn between the fascinating life she has begun in Florence and the organized life she has left behind in England.

She needs to learn to follow her heart, but she doesn’t know where that will take her…

Pros

  • The writing style of the author is picturesque and poetic.
  • The irony and humor added to the story are clever and well-written.

Cons

  • There isn’t much action in this book and it can feel quite slow in parts.

A Farewell To Arms By Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms

This classic tells the story of an American ambulance driver who is on the Italian front and his love for a beautiful English nurse.

Set against the backdrop battlefield – A Farewell to Arms documents the story of demoralized soldiers as they take part in the German attack on Caporetto.

This work is semi-autobiographical and captures the harshness and horrors of war, as well as the pain of lovers who are caught up in it.

Pros

  • The whole book is full of emotion and you feel it as much as the characters.
  • The story gives you very accurate insight into the war of the time.

Cons

  • At the time this was written, Hemingway was still in his writing infancy, and that can be felt throughout the book.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! There are many books about Italy that will make you want to go there, and these are some of many that will make you feel more immersed in the country.

Whether you want something factual, or you’d rather something rooted in fiction, you are sure to find the perfect book within this list to satisfy your Italian cravings!

Give some of these books a read for yourself and see which one you enjoy the most!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are All Books About Italy Factual?

It really depends on the book. If it is a travel guide or a non-fiction book, then yes, it will be factual. But fantasy novels and other fictional books will not be.

Are Books About Italy Written In Italian?

There are plenty of Italian books that are written in the native language, but there are just as many written in English, and lots have been translated so more people can read them.

Anna Davis