1. Always Italy by Frances Mayes and Ondine Cohane
Filled with authentic insights and tried-and-true recommendations, Mayes and Cohane offer the ultimate insider’s tour of Italy’s little-known gems, off-the-beaten-path destinations and one-of-a-kind experiences. Here are the country’s most alluring cities, beaches, vineyards, hotels, hiking trails, galleries, spas and cuisine, illustrated with more than 300 glorious photographs.
No matter which part of Italy appeals, this utterly unique and comprehensive guidebook holds an array of insider recommendations, including:
- The best beach on the colorful coastline of Cinque Terre
- Modena’s most talented gelato wizard
- Hidden gems in the quiet ports of the Aeolian Islands
- A breathtaking hiking trail in Sicily
- The best pizza in Rome
- Must-see Renaissance architecture in Florence
- The restaurant with the best tajarin pasta in Piedmont
The perfect gift for armchair travelers or those planning their next vacation, Always Italy is the ultimate guide to experiencing la dolce vita.
You can purchase Always Italy on Amazon and from any major book retailers.
2. Devour Tours Cookbook
Although we’ve had to put our tours on hold, our goal is always to deliver on our mission:
To connect curious travelers to local food and people in a way that helps culture thrive.
We might not be able to do this in-person at the moment, but the opportunities to keep devouring are endless. And we decided for our first project we'd create an in-depth, personal cookbook with recipes from our team of staff, guides and vendors. We want to continue to unite the world around food, through cooking our team's favorites from each of our tour cities.
The Devour Tours cookbook includes 52 recipes from our eight tour destinations: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, San Sebastian, Paris, Rome, Lisbon, and London. From Rome, there are 8 recipes for classic Roman dishes, including 4 that my friend Abbie (@abbiestark) translated directly from her mother-in-law’s family recipes.
You can purchase the Devour Tours cookbook here and if you make a recipe, tag using #DevourCooks on social media.
3. Lost Venice by Sarah Hadley
Hadley's love of Venice was nurtured by her childhood spent living in an apartment above the Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, where her father served as the Museum's Director. Designed to look like a Venetian palazzo, the building reflected her father's passion for Italian Renaissance art and architecture, which Hadley would later embrace.
In Lost Venice, Hadley's photographs guide us on a journey through foggy days and veiled nights through the mysterious hidden corners of the city and outlying islands, all the while examining her deep connection with this opulent and mythic place.
Hadley studied Art History and Italian at Georgetown University and Photography at the Corcoran College of Art and lived in Venice for several years in her twenties. She has been a fine art photographer for over 25 years. Her award-winning work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and institutions in the US, as well as in international fairs and festivals in Europe and Asia. She was named as one of the "Jeunes Talents" by Le Monde in 2015 and her work has been featured in ELLE Italia, B+W Magazine (UK), L'Oeil de la Photographie and in magazines and blogs worldwide.
More about the book available here - http://sarahhadley.com/lost-venice-book,
More images from the project available here - http://sarahhadley.com/lost-venice
4. Cucina Tipica by Andrew Cotto
"Any reader with a passion for food, wine, literature, and, most of all, the streets of Florence, will find the release of Andrew Cotto's latest novel, Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure, a rare delight to the senses and intellect." –The Brooklyn Rail
Andrew Cotto is the award-winning author of three novels. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Men's Journal, The Huffington Post, Italy magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, TASTE, and Parade. Andrew has an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. More about the author can be found at andrewcotto.com
You can purchase Cucina Tipica on Amazon and from any major book retailers.
5. Wander(lust) by Jasmine Mah
Travel through memories of first love and heartbreak set around the globe in places like iconic New York City in the morning and Rome at twilight. This collection of wanderlust-filled moments captured in words will satisfy anyone who has ever loved and lost a person, a city, or another life.
Make sure to also check out the podcast as well, where myself, along with friends from around the world, read the stories in the book. Podcast link here: Letters From a Wanderer.
You can purchase Wander(lust): Letters From a Wanderer on Amazon and from any major book retailers.