The Book Lovers Guide to Venice by Rachael Martin

 The Book Lovers Guide to Venice

By Rachael Martin

SUMMARY

Perfect for lovers of Venice and books alike, this unique guide takes you step by step through the city in the footsteps of the writers who lived there and visited. See where they lived, ate, drank, and played. Find out where the parties were held, details of their illicit encounters, and where the patrician families of Venice’s famous Golden Book gathered in their literary salons, which, after the Republic of Venice ended, were continued in the homes of American society heiresses. This is a book to be savoured slowly, from the city’s cafes and bars where writers such as Patricia Highsmith and Ernest Hemingway went, or from the comfort of your own living room, letting Venice feed your imagination, just as the writers did. Read about their lives and their words through novels, memoirs, poetry, travelogues, travel guides, and biographies. This unique travel guide tells of literary Venice within the city's story and places early Venetian women writers firmly within the Venetian literary canon. It also includes a list of all works mentioned and suggested reading throughout the book.

MY REVIEW:

Rachel says in the preface that she wrote the book for two reasons –

‘I love Venice, and I love literature and reading. It gave me the chance not only to go back to Venice but also to the books, the stories, and to discover new ones along the way’

That’s good enough for me!

I have read many books set in Venice that Rachel mentions, but what this book gives you is a deeper insight into a world of excessive indulgence, gambling, and masked anonymity, which in turn attracted authors and literary figures who found inspiration in an atmosphere of mystery, romance, and decay. 

The title of the book is ‘The Booklovers Guide to Venice,’ but don’t assume that this is just a catalogue of authors who visited or a list of books set there because, as with all of Rachel’s publications…. There is so much more. She includes facts about geography, history, social history, trade and culture because to understand Venice is to know Venice.

So why have writers always been drawn to Venice? Not just for a selfie on a gondola!  There are several reasons. It offered a unique experience unlike any other city: its melancholy beauty and silence, shimmering canals and winding alleyways.  The striking contrast between grand palaces and their decay evoked a powerful sense of mystery, drama, and timelessness. This captivating imagery has inspired creative minds from the Romantic era to today’s novelists, drawing them into its enchanting allure. Rachel writes,

‘It’s the gondolas, the crumbling palazzos, the atmosphere, the romance, the whole Venetian experience that inspired writers, painters and musicians throughout the centuries. It provided fertile material for the minds of the Romantic poets, like Shelley, Byron, and Wordsworth. If you were a romantic poet in possession of a creative mind, this air of decaying decadence merely helped feed your literary imagination.’

Yet, conversely, as she points out..

‘The Venetians, having lived through the war and the occupation of their city, took a very different view of it all.’

The book starts with historical notes. The city’s last ruler, the Doge, abdicated in 1797, ending over a thousand years of the Serenissima Republic of Venice. Due to its location, it flourished as a trading hub between Europe and the East.

‘Its streets were testimony to this, a whole mix of people and cultures, with spices on the market stalls which came from foreign lands’

Napoleon made major changes to Venice's administration, seized some of its beautiful art, and eventually handed the city over to Austria. On the plus side, he built a train and a road connecting Venice to the mainland, improving access for travellers eager to explore this iconic destination. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Venice was widely considered a city of debauchery, often dubbed the "brothel of Europe" due to its culture of excessive indulgence, gambling, and masked anonymity. A tradition dating back to the 13th century, Venetian masks hid social status, wealth, and identity. They gave Venetians and visitors the freedom to mix and escape legal and societal restrictions during carnival and other periods of the year.

Writers, poets, and intellectuals of the nineteenth century flocked to Venice; some even bought palazzos and set up salons, or intellectual drawing rooms, much as the French had done. These social gatherings discussed the arts and culture and served as early communication networks, often taking place in the homes of influential women.

Each chapter serves as a travel guide: Rachel tells you the best time of year to arrive in Venice, how to navigate the city, and what to visit, but books and authors are never far away. Rachel's stories, intimate anecdotes about the rich and famous, bring the people who came to Venice to life, beautifully illuminating the captivating spirit of the palazzos, the hidden alleyways, the secret canals and iconic bridges.

 

‘Mark Twain said that it was a wonderful train journey as you leave the mainland and travel across the narrow strip of land that leads out to Venice.’

‘Giacomo Casanova, one of Venice's most famous sons, known for his life of sex and pleasure, also wrote mathematical treatises. He was born in the San Marco sestiere. If you walk down there, you will see a plaque that commemorates his birth.’

‘Henry James used to stay with American lawyer and banker Daniel Curtis at Palazzo Barbaro and used it as inspiration for his novel The Wings of the Dove. He also stayed with art collector Isabella Stewart at Palazzo Gardner’

‘Virginia Woolf visited Venice three times and wrote in her diary that Venetian light was pale and bright. She was happy in Venice but after several depressive episodes, the final one led to her suicide.’

‘George Eliot stayed at the Hotel Europa ( previously Ca’ Giustinian) with her married lover, George Henry Lewes. She was with him for twenty-five years, but he could never get a divorce, so they never married.’

‘Hemingway was a successful author and international celebrity when he stayed at the Gritti Palace, then moved to the Locanda Cirpriani on the island of Torcello for a quiet time to write.’

‘Heiress Nancy Cunard started a scandalous affair with a black musician and Albergo Luna in 1928 and author Patricia Highsmith first went to Venice in 1949 accompanied by an Italian banker she had met the day before in Milan. He booked dinner for them both at the Hotel Monaco e Grand Canal.’

The detailed research to compile such a myriad of facts is quite astounding. Rachel drops a cascade of famous literary and historical names into the book. I had no idea that Thomas Cook included Venice in his new tour of Italy in 1868. She has clearly walked around Venice hundreds of times and gives us a fascinating history of the literary cafes and bars that were the meeting places of many writers. She also tells us that.

‘The first coffee beans were brought to Venice at the beginning of the sixteenth century and originally sold in the pharmacy, being branded as ‘the drink of the devil.’

As you wander through the alleyways of Venice, exploring the locations Rachel describes, her vivid and evocative settings make you feel as if you are truly present at each scene. At Café Florian, people from all walks of life gathered to enjoy gossip, coffee, and conversation. Nobles sat side by side with merchants, ambassadors, and ordinary Venetians. You might find yourself sitting in the very seat once occupied by literary greats such as Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens, or Marcel Proust.

You might have even sat in the same seat as Hemingway when you order a ‘bellini’ at Harry’s bar.

Venice is often depicted as a place where dream and reality collide, serving as a "city of mirrors" that continues to fascinate creatives, so it's no surprise that Venice was a magnet for writers, exiles, and melancholic travellers for centuries and wealthy young people on ‘The Grand Tour’, but, as with many things in Italy, there is a light side and a dark side. Rachael explains.

‘The darker side of Venice has always appealed to many writers and made for some great thrillers.’ Daphne Du Maurier Don’t Look Now was published in 1971 and became a haunting film in 1973. Patricia Highsmith – Those Who Walk Away (1967) and was about grieving over a daughter/wife with acts of violence and hatred. Philip Gwynne Jones wrote his series about an English consul who works along the Street of the Assassins: The Venetian Game ( 2017) and others. Muriel Spark’s Territorial Rights (1979) is about men following each other around Venice and not being able to escape.

 Why I recommend this book:

Venice – one of the most romantic cities in the world, which has that rare blend of old-world beauty! If you love exploring destinations linked to books, characters, and authors and you love Italy, then let this guide ignite your sense of literary adventure as you explore the enchanting beauty of Venice. With Rachel Martin as your inspiring travel expert and book guide, you will feel a powerful connection to this remarkable city. Rachel doesn’t just share history—she brings Venice to life with stories, anecdotes and unique insights into a literary world that makes it extraordinary. Her vivid storytelling encourages you to see beyond the surface, inspiring a deeper appreciation for every moment. Fuelled by Rachel’s passion and vision, you’ll feel motivated and uplifted as you embark on your unforgettable journey through this timeless destination. Rachel truly understands Venice's beauty and depth as a cultural centre from its lively tourist attractions to the hidden treasures off the tourist trail.

 

 AUTHOR BIO:

Rachael Martin is a British writer who has lived just north of Milan for over twenty years. She writes about travel, culture, the arts and food in Italy for online and print publications. She has a special interest in Milan, its fashion history, and the stories of the women involved.

https://rachaelmartin.net/

 

OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR:

The Fashion Lovers Guide to Milan

Walking Italy

 

BOOK BLURB:

 Published by White Owl (30 May 2026) Available in paperback from Amazon