Going to Venice? I’m sure you’ll be needing some reading material to keep you busy on the flights, waiting for trains, or other gaps in your itinerary. Creating the imagery of Venice and anticipating seeing the actual scenery is part of the fun of your trip. There’s no better way to spend that time than to lose yourself in a book set in Venice, novels, crime stories, historic tales or even some of the Venice classics like Death in Venice or Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.

Here are a few suggested Venice books to read before, or on your way there:

Novels set in Venice abound (they run into hundreds), but there are a few classic writers who excelled at bringing the noble side of Venice to life.Two of these are already mentioned, and a few more are included below.

No mental image of Venice can be more aptly lit up than the classical poetry of Lord Byron and his contemporary Shelley…

I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
    A palace and a prison on each hand:
    I saw from out the wave her structures rise
    As from the stroke of the enchanter's wand:
    A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
    Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
    O'er the far times, when many a subject land
    Looked to the wingéd Lion's marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, throned on her hundred isles!

(From Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage)

Romantic tales, intrigue, drama and thrillers are all parts of the literary landscape that is Venice. Pack one or two of these for relaxed reading while enjoying your coffee at a canalside cafe in Venice! Below are a few highly rated novels that you may consider. In particular, Donna Leon’s crime investigator series based on the character Commisario  Guido Brunetti makes for good reading.

Non-fiction: Venice history is one of the most entertaining subjects to buff up on before your visit. Knowing who the Doge was, what the history behind the Rialto Bridge is and getting to know a few Venice ghost stories will make your trip fun and entertaining.

Else, if you’re into architecture, Venice music, or arts and culture, my personal recommendation is Art and Archtecture in Venice, which aside from being a pleasant read is also a handy reference guide as you explore the work of painters and other artists in Venice.