Florence

Hi, am travelling to Florence for a wedding and would like to find a novel to whet the senses on the journey over and be my companion for a few days. any suggestions? Not too long as only there for three days!
Thanks

For a short stay, the only sensible choice is either A room with a view or The Magic Roundabout Annual.

For a longer stay Aurora Leigh.

Short stories are great for travel, so I'll recommend Light in the Piazza, and other Italian tales, by Elizabeth Spencer.

Have you considered some non-fiction? David Leavitt's Florence, a delicate case would be a nice companion, as would Mary McCarthy's The Stones of Florence.

I don't suppose I could talk you into Dante's Divine Comedy? Perhaps a bit much for only three days, but you will find all over Florence quotations from it on the walls.

Also on the walls you will see in places the sign "Il 4 Novembre 1966 l'acqua del Arno arrivo qui", marking where the disastrous flood reached. If you can find it, Florence: the days of the flood, by Franco Nencini is a good book about the flood.

Thanks for this - very helpful. I will try both suggestions. as regards the second let me know if there's a specific year that's particularly good.

>4 Santolugar:
I was very fond of the 1969 one at one time, but I think that you will find that Florence features prominently in all of them. :-)