Books/movies recommendations

I'm going to post this in a couple of places to hit all the countries our Grand Med cruise is going to next May.

One thing I like to do prior to visiting a new place is read books and watch movies based in those places so I'm looking for suggestions for movies based in Barcelona or books based there-preferably fiction! (I'm reading all the guide/travel books and websites I can find lol!)

I've got Mamma Mia (even though it wasn't filmed in Athens or Mykonos!).

I love Carlos Ruiz Zafon's books set in Barcelona. I'm reading Angel's Game right now and also loved Shadow of the Wind. For Greece, Corelli's Mandolin evokes place very well, though I didn't love the book. Here's a list I made for our roll call with my itinerary:

ATHENS

Connolly, Peter. The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome. History

Davidson, James. Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens. History

Renault, Mary. The Last of the Wine. Historical fiction

BARCELONA

Hughes, Robert. Barcelona: The Great Enchantress. History

Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Angel’s Game. Fiction

CRETE

Cottrell, Leonard. The Bull of Minos. History

Renault, Mary. The King Must Die. Historical fiction

FLORENCE/LIVORNO

Brown, Dan. Inferno. Thriller

Dunant, Sarah. The Birth of Venus. Historical fiction

Brunelleschi's Dome. Art history

Both of these fiction titles are excellent for sense of place.

IZMIR/EPHESUS

Koester, Helmut. Ephesos, Metropolis of Asia. History

Mansel, Philip. The Levant: Splendour and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean. History

MALTA

Ball, David. The Sword and the Scimitar. Fiction

Crowley, Roger. Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World. History

Nicholson, Helen. The Knights Hospitaller. History

MARSEILLE/PROVENCE

Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. Historical fiction

Mayle, Peter. A Year in Provence. Memoir/travel

NAPLES

Beard, Mary. Fires of Vesuvius. History

Montefiore, Santa. Last Voyage of the Valentina. Fiction

RHODES

Durrell, Lawrence. Reflections on a marine Venus. Travel/memoir

ROME

Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons. Thriller

McCullough, Colleen. The First Man in Rome. Historical fiction

Graves, Robert. I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Historical fiction

SICILY

Maggio, Theresa. The Stone Boudoir: Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily. Memoir/Travel

Phelps, Daphne. A House in Sicily. Memoir/Travel

I love Carlos Ruiz Zafon's books set in Barcelona. I'm reading Angel's Game right now and also loved Shadow of the Wind. For Greece, Corelli's Mandolin evokes place very well, though I didn't love the book. Here's a list I made for our roll call with my itinerary:

 

ATHENS

Connolly, Peter. The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome. History

Davidson, James. Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens. History

Renault, Mary. The Last of the Wine. Historical fiction

 

 

BARCELONA

Hughes, Robert. Barcelona: The Great Enchantress. History

Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Angel’s Game. Fiction

 

CRETE

Cottrell, Leonard. The Bull of Minos. History

Renault, Mary. The King Must Die. Historical fiction

 

FLORENCE/LIVORNO

Brown, Dan. Inferno. Thriller

Dunant, Sarah. The Birth of Venus. Historical fiction

Brunelleschi's Dome. Art history

 

Both of these fiction titles are excellent for sense of place.

 

 

IZMIR/EPHESUS

Koester, Helmut. Ephesos, Metropolis of Asia. History

Mansel, Philip. The Levant: Splendour and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean. History

 

MALTA

Ball, David. The Sword and the Scimitar. Fiction

Crowley, Roger. Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World. History

Nicholson, Helen. The Knights Hospitaller. History

 

MARSEILLE/PROVENCE

Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. Historical fiction

Mayle, Peter. A Year in Provence. Memoir/travel

 

NAPLES

Beard, Mary. Fires of Vesuvius. History

Montefiore, Santa. Last Voyage of the Valentina. Fiction

 

RHODES

Durrell, Lawrence. Reflections on a marine Venus. Travel/memoir

 

ROME

Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons. Thriller

McCullough, Colleen. The First Man in Rome. Historical fiction

Graves, Robert. I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Historical fiction

 

SICILY

Maggio, Theresa. The Stone Boudoir: Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily. Memoir/Travel

Phelps, Daphne. A House in Sicily. Memoir/Travel

Wow! Thanks!

Here's a movie featuring Mykonos, "Shirley Valentine", that will make you want to head for the beach there. Offbeat and sweet comedy probably on DVD.

I loved Whit Stilman's movie, Barcelona. Its one of those wordy 90s indie movies that's set in Barcelona in the 80s.

If you want to understand the Greek debt crisis, here's a must read longform article about it:

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/10/greeks-bearing-bonds-201010

It was Michael Lewis' best article about the economic troubles in 2010, and his other articles were a bit of a letdown because his Greek story was great.

And, then there's the memoir, Naples 44: A World War II Diary of Occupied Italy.

I have a couple of movie nights planned before our cruise next year, I know these don't all apply to places you are visiting, but in case someone else is interested I have put them all here:

Rome - "Gladiator"

Barcelona - "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Athens - "My life in Ruins"

Naples and Rome - "Eat Pray Love"

Santorini - "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"

Athens & Istanbul - "A Touch of Spice"

Amalfi Coast - "A Good Woman"

Greece in general - "Mamma Mia"

Thanks all!

Sicily : "The leopard" Lampedusa

Istanbul : "The bastard of Istanbul" Shafak

Greek Islands : "My family and other animals" Durrell, set on Corfu but gives an insight into both the Greeks and the Durrells

While it is non fiction Eleni is a great read.

For me, every trip to Florence ends up with me reading A room with a view, also adore the movie.

I love to watch any movies filmed in Europe! A few of my favorites were mentioned above, here are some more:

'Only You' staring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey JR covers most of Italy - Venice, Rome, Positano

The last 30 seconds of 'Bourne Identity' was filmed in Mykonos - won't spoil anything!

I believe part of the movie 'My Life in Ruins' was filmed in Valencia Spain.

And some original Love Boat episodes! They did the Grand Med cruise and have been replaying recently.

Shirley valentine is the reason I am going to mykonos and i've waited over 20 yrs!....

I'm going to post this in a couple of places to hit all the countries our Grand Med cruise is going to next May.

 

One thing I like to do prior to visiting a new place is read books and watch movies based in those places so I'm looking for suggestions for movies based in Barcelona or books based there-preferably fiction! (I'm reading all the guide/travel books and websites I can find lol!)

 

I've got Mamma Mia (even though it wasn't filmed in Athens or Mykonos!).

In 1999 on a cruise that stopped in Barcelona, we met up with a couple that had a Fodor's Guide book and we walked around finding all the quaint little Tapas bars following her book. It was great fun,

While walking around on a side street from the Ramblas we had this interesting experience.

http://www.cruisemates.com/gallery/view.php?id=1149

I love to watch any movies filmed in Europe! A few of my favorites were mentioned above, here are some more:

 

'Only You' staring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey JR covers most of Italy - Venice, Rome, Positano

 

The last 30 seconds of 'Bourne Identity' was filmed in Mykonos - won't spoil anything!

 

I believe part of the movie 'My Life in Ruins' was filmed in Valencia Spain.

 

And some original Love Boat episodes! They did the Grand Med cruise and have been replaying recently.

Interesting. Had my picture taken with Gavin Macleod years ago when he was promoting a Princess cruise out of Vancouver. I had to admit to him that unfortunately we were sailing on the Infinity. He was very gracious in allowing me to take a picture with him. Looking below it must have been 2003

I think I might have found and posted the picture. Very nice man.

Very nice!

Found this thread from 2015 - just wondering if there are any other recommendations for books on Greece.

Thanks

I need to get reading!

Oldies but goodies for Greece- Zorba the Greek and Never on Sunday.