Novels That Feel Like a Vacation

Books I reach for when I want to get on a plane but can't.

Sometimes you just need to get away, and sometimes you can’t hop on a plane. When those times coincide, I reach for a book with a vivid sense of place, a book that immerses you in its setting and makes you forget the real world for a few hours. Here are some of the best novels I’ve read that whisked me away…

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova was described to me as a modern-day retelling of Dracula. It is, but it’s so much more. This book is a gripping tale of a scholarly historian and his daughter and Dracula. What if Dracula was real? What if he is still alive today? Kostova weaves an intricate storyline between father, daughter, Vlad the Imapaler, and a few other key characters. The Historian is full of grand adventure, travel, and vivid imagery of Eastern Europe. Budapest, Istanbul, Vlad the Impaler’s castle in Romania, ancient libraries, famed universities. All the places in this novel seem so very real: you’ll emerge from reading it feeling like you traveled to Eastern Europe… and looking over your shoulder for Dracula.

The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante may be the tumultuous story of two best friends from childhood to adulthood and all the trials they face along the way, but the setting of these novels stole the show. The city of Naples is the main character of these books in many ways. The main characters would be obsolete without their city; the trials they face are bound to their neighborhood; the city grows as the girls grow. It’s a beautiful, gritty tale that will take you on a journey! Though at times the story moves to other places in Italy, it always returns to Naples. You’ll feel as if you know the city personally after you’ve read this series.

New York by Edward Rutherford weaves a detailed history of New York City into the stories of various families over the course of several centuries. Rutherford frames fascinating historical facts about New York and how it became the city we love today within the storylines of characters. You become invested in the people, but, moreover, you become invested in the city. How will it grow into the Manhattan we know now from that tiny Dutch settlement in the 17th century? How will it weather the wars? The disasters? The changes in society? You read about how the city got its literal grid shape and how it got its invisible social lines. You’ll learn how neighborhoods took shape and how parks were formed. You’ll learn why Broadway got its name. If you’re a NYC nerd like myself this book will be endlessly fascinating, and you’ll feel transported to the city every time you pick it up.

I should note that Rutherford has written similar historical novels about Paris and London: they’re excellent too. If you prefer to be transported to another city, Rutherford’s other books will do the trick.

The Time in Between by María Dueñas is one of the most beautifully haunting novels I’ve ever read. You will be swept away into the world of a seamstress-turned-spy in World War II, but this isn’t your run-of-the-mill World War II novel. This is a captivating story of a mother and daughter separated by war; it’s a story of betrayal and abandonment; and it’s a story of two countries that aren’t often the focus of World War II novels. The Time in Between is set in both Spain and Morocco. I would get so lost in this story that even after I put the book down I felt like I could hear the sounds of the Moroccan medinas.

Dueñas is masterful at creating a sense of place in her novels. That’s why I also recommend The Vineyard by María Dueñas. Another vividly engrossing tale, this novel takes place in Mexico, Cuba, and Spain. It follows the misfortune and adventures of a male protagonist in the 1860s. From the young republic of Mexico, he sets out to restore his family’s fortune and finds himself seeking that fortune in the sherry trade in Jerez, Spain. The descriptions of all three countries are brilliant. You will be swept away to a very specific era in time; you’ll become invested in the tale of the fascinating sherry industry; and you’ll be rooting for the main characters the whole time.

Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes is the sunny Italian holiday of your dreams. Following the stories and growing friendships of four women who buy a villa in Tuscany, this novel reads like a love story to Italy. You’ll sip cappuccinos in piazzas, go antique shopping in the Tuscan countryside, travel to Venice, garden, go to the seaside; the varied descriptions of Italy resonate so vividly in this book. As they should— Mayes is the author of Under the Tuscan Sun and has lived in Italy part-time for many years now. Her love for the country brings so much detail to the setting of Women in Sunlight. Every time I picked it up, I felt like I’d gone on vacation to Italy, and I never wanted to put this novel down.

Do you have a beloved novel that feels like a vacation? I would love to check it out. Let me know below!