The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
One of my favorites is The Birth of Venus which is about the Medici family of Florence, Italy. They ruled Florence from the mid-1400s to mid-1700s and this book is an easy read that tell the story of love, art, religion, and power. When visiting Florence, go to the San Lorenzo markets and visit the San Lorenzo Chapel where the Medici family is buried. It really brings it all together! - Denise Schaefer, Travel Advisor, Plaza Travel

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
When reading Under the Tuscan Sun, you can visualize yourself transformed into a Tuscan village. Waking up, gardening, working on the old villa, shopping at the local market, cooking, and drinking wine. This book has a spirit and a soul, as well as a sense of belonging and longing. I read this book before my first trip to Tuscany and it was magical and made my travels to Tuscany so much more memorable. - Donna Wolfe, Travel Advisor, Plaza Travel

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
I recall being enchanted by this book when it first came out in 1997. I read it a few times and was mesmerized by the vivid descriptions of the geisha. I could picture their kimonos flowing as they walked down the cobblestone streets in Kyoto. When I finally made it to Japan, I stayed at a ryokan in Kyoto and recall waking up to the clicking sounds of shoes on the cobblestone streets just outside my window. When I finally peered through the window, all the memories of reading that book came to life, as the geishas were walking down the street in small groups. It was everything I had read about and so much more. - Leslie Wahlgren, Travel Advisor, Plaza Travel

Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is a famous author known for his stupendously funny and accurate anecdotes of his day-to-day traveling mishaps and great sight-seeing finds that make you want to see—or not see in some cases—those same places. It's as though I was living the same situation as he had when in Paris. Bryson describes getting split up from his wife at Place de la Concorde in the midst of a Circus Maximus of many Renault killer automobiles and waiving to her from across the roads, as I similarly did with my husband. However, in our case, we were surrounded by a wave of 20+ emergency vehiles moving in circles around Place de la Concorde, as if a major criminal incident occurred, but they never stopped for anyone. I also found chapter six most helpful and enjoyable of his travels through Belgium-which was the highlight of my trip. His description of cheese blocks being the size of some automobile tires is quite amusing. The book educates you on various places you probably wouldn't even know about, even if you'd researched the country extensively beforehand. Overall, it's a fun, easy read and I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Europe.
- Andrea Halloran, Travel Advisor, Air Apparent (Division of Plaza Travel)