Oh, Euro summer. Two magical words that instantly conjure an image of sipping an aperitivo on a sun-drenched patio while wearing at least one piece of clothing with lemons printed on it. If your Instagram feed is anything like mine, it probably seems like everyone and their mother is in Italy right now for Euro summer. Italy is a hotbed for tourism in the warmer months, thanks to the perfect weather, endless gelato shops, and sheer number of beautiful places to explore between May and September.
Whether you’re one of the lucky ones heading over to Italy to sip a spritz in the motherland or, like me, you’re making do with a “Euro summer happy hour”-themed girls’ night at home, these books are sure to make you feel like you’re wandering the streets of Positano, drinking wine at a vineyard in Tuscany, floating down a canal in Venice, or reenacting The Lizzie McGuire movie in Rome. I sorted them by region, so whether you’re heading north or south—or just planning the trip entirely from your couch—there’s a book here to match the part of Italy you’re dreaming about.
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Campania
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle. This book is not only a love letter to mother-daughter relationships, but also to Positano. While, yes, it does bring the perfect Amalfi Coast atmosphere, it also explores the depth of grief that comes with losing your best friend.
Best for: Amalfi Coast vibes
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. This is historical fiction set in Naples, so a completely different vibe from One Italian Summer. If you prefer to do as the locals do when traveling instead of prioritizing tourist traps, this book will make you feel like you grew up in Naples in the 1950s.
Best for: Local Neapolitan life
Tuscany
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. Firmly in the young adult category, Love & Gelato feels a lot like my study abroad stint in Florence (I’m actually shocked it took me this long to bring that up). It’s a coming-of-age story with a healthy serving of family secrets, and although it doesn’t take place in the city itself, the setting is perfectly reminiscent of the smaller towns outside of Florence (which are beautiful and a lot less crowded).
Best for: Study-abroad memories
The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche. If you read both of these books, you’ll get two very different glimpses of Florence across the centuries. The Stone Witch of Florence is set in 1348, when plague was rampant and hygiene standards were…less than ideal. It’s a far cry from Florence now, but even though it’s fantasy, you still get a great glimpse into the city’s rich history.
Best for: Florence history
Honorable mention: watch the Medici series on Netflix with Richard Madden and thank me later.
Lazio
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I’ve read this book probably six times now. It’s my favorite Dan Brown book, and I don’t even like Rome that much (but I’ll save that explanation for a later date). This thriller sends Robert Langdon racing across Rome—and into Vatican City—during a papal conclave where suddenly cardinals are dropping like flies. You’ll get so wrapped up in the story that you’ll finish it feeling like you’ve spent days sprinting around Rome trying to solve the mystery yourself.
Best for: Intense Vatican mystery
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. Okay, yes, this is technically a middle grade book, but it reads like an adventurous tour of Rome. Set all over the city, it’s practically a ready-made itinerary packed with historical and cultural references.
Best for: Ancient Rome with a modern twist
Umbria
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. Spending a trip to Italy in a villa with your best friend: so fun. Finding out there was a murder there in the 1970s and taking it upon yourself to uncover what really happened: less fun. Well, less fun to live through. Still very fun to read about.
Best for: Umbrian villa mystery
Veneto
The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen. Venice truly is its own breed, and The Immortal City leans fully into the mysterious, romantic, almost-unreal atmosphere of the city. If you want canals, old buildings, and a little bit of magic, this one delivers.
Best for: Venetian magic
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. While obviously not a modern portrayal of Verona, Romeo and Juliet is one of the most iconic pieces of literature to take place in the Veneto region. For a full aesthetic experience, throw on Letters to Juliet in the background.
Best for: Veronese drama
Sicily
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood. If you’re not a fan of age-gap romances, maybe skip this one. If you don’t care, you’ll get transported to Taormina for 416 pages, and it’ll be beautiful. Maya may spend most of the book yearning for her brother’s best friend, but you’ll spend it yearning to explore Sicily.
Best for: Sicilian romance
Liguria
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. This book was my jam when I was a kid. Yes, it’s fantasy, but magic aside, the Ligurian setting is still one of the things I remember most vividly about it. There’s something about the villas, hills, and Mediterranean atmosphere that makes the book feel especially transportive—even when the plot is busy pulling fictional characters into the real world.
Best for: Childhood nostalgia with an Italian backdrop
I’m definitely missing plenty of books set in Italy, but these are the ones that have stuck with me the most—either because I loved the story or because the atmosphere was so immersive that I didn’t even care about the plot. If you have a favorite Italy-set book I missed, send it my way. My TBR can always survive one more addition.
Cheers, and happy reading!
Reminder: Everyone has their own tastes and opinions! Respectfully disagree all you want. Be mean about it, and I’ll assume your favorite character would’ve been disappointed in you. Life’s too short to argue over fictional people.
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