Recommended reading for Italy | Newmarket Holidays

View of the beach and buildings behind it in Cefalu, Sicily, Italy — Cefalu, Sicily, Italy

We've partnered up with our friends at TripFiction to bring you some recommended books, which go hand in hand with our solo tour in Italy.

There's nothing like a good book, especially when you're travelling. We've partnered up with our friends at TripFiction to bring you some recommended books, which go hand in hand with some of our tours. For example, whilst immersing yourself amongst the remote isles and ancient temples on our exclusively solo, A Snapshot of Western Sicily tour, add some of these reads into the mix.

Pair aperitivo hour with an icy refreshment, some snacky bits, and one of the page-turners listed below, ideally in a shaded Sicilian piazza of your choosing.

Conclave by Robert Harris

About the book: Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, 118 cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

About the book: In 1944 in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa, as bombs fall around them, two strangers meet and share an extraordinary evening.

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

About the book: Alessandra must make crucial decisions about the shape of her adult life, as Florence itself must choose between the old ways of the Medicis and the asceticism of Savanorola.

The Savage Shore by David Hewson

About the book: Roman police detective Nic has been sent undercover to Italy’s Calabrian coast to bring in the head of the feared mob, the ‘Ndrangheta.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

About the book: A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, this is a rich, intense and generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. 

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

About the book: An engaging, female-focussed novel set in ancient Pompeii, from an exciting new voice in historical fiction.

The Lemon Tree Hotel by Rosanna Ley

About the book: In the beautiful village of Vernazza, the Mazzone family have transformed an old convent overlooking the glamorous Italian Riviera into the elegant Lemon Tree Hotel.