You can’t really understand the magic of Venice until you arrive. From the first sight from the causeway connecting it to the mainland, to the moment you step out of the Santa Lucia train station and see the Grand Canal: It’s almost surreal.
Before the trip, this pair of books will provide context and insight into the palazzos, the inherent beauty of Venice, and its history.
- City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. In this nonfiction book, Berendt digs as deep into Venetian gossip as he did Savannah, Georgia’s in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. A thoroughly fascinating mash-up of travelogue, mystery and history.
- The Aspern Papers by Henry James. Berendt draws parallels between a modern mystery and that contained within this (fictional!) classic.
