Looking for the best books set in Italy, Italian movies to stream, or addictive Italian TV shows to help your language learning (or wanderlust)? This is your library. From gripping mysteries to heart-tugging memoirs, from Tuscan dramas to Sicilian epics, you’ll find the stories that let you travel without leaving the couch. Want more Italy in your life? Join The Grapevine for monthly reading lists, film picks, and behind-the-scenes notes from my own Italy-inspired writing.
As an author who writes about Italy, I’m often asked which books show an Italy beyond the postcards. These seven are my go-to recommendations—for their insight, atmosphere, and the way each reveals a different facet of Italian life. Whether you're a reader, traveler, or writer, they’re worth a spot on your shelf.
Read MoreFor your viewing pleasure, some favorite Italian-language films.
Read MoreLooking for a movie set in Italy? Look no further...
Read MoreMy favorite books about cooking, food, and cooking with food.
Read MoreWebsite for Michelle Damiani, author of Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, the funny and heartfelt memoir of an American family living in Spello, as well as Santa Lucia, a page-turner set on the Umbria border.
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A trip to Italy is better with language basics! Here’s my recommended course to learn Italian and make your trip fantastico!
Festival participant, speaking about “Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center”
Featured speaker on panel discussing Romance for “Santa Lucia”
