Under the Tuscan Sun

By Frances Mayes,

Book cover of Under the Tuscan Sun

Book description

Discover the New York Times bestseller that inspired the film. The perfect read for anyone seeking an escape to the Italian countryside.

When Frances Mayes - poet, gourmet cook and travel writer - buys an abandoned villa in Tuscany, she has no idea of the scale of the project she…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

8 authors picked Under the Tuscan Sun as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Most romance readers know that this story is about a run-down villa in Tuscany and a heartbroken heroine (Frances Mayes) struggling to build a life after her divorce. But read the book for the beautiful descriptions of the countryside, the delicious food and wine, and the gorgeous accounts of village life—the markets, the frescos, the fading sunlight!

This memoir is not just a restoration journey; it’s a book about finding yourself. 

I remember seeing this book for the first time on my mother’s bedside table.

As a mother of six children (five boys and a girl—me), I strongly suspect she dreamed of escape from time to time. A mother now myself, I understand feelings of overwhelm.

When I read this book back in the late ‘90s I saw a woman brave enough to step into her dreams and create a beautiful and sensuous life. It was bold, and it allowed me to dream of a bigger life. It made me curious if I could ever do such a thing.

Read the…

Frances Mayes’s first bestseller takes us along on one woman’s journey of taking a leap of faith and pursuing a dream – buying a house in the Tuscan countryside, restoring it, and blending into the rhythms of life in Cortona. Her writing is mesmerizing, immersing us in the sensual details of the adventure – from scents of the markets season by season to faces of the locals, the wonderful sounds of the language, and changing colors out her window. She even includes easy recipes to give us a true taste of life in this paradise.

From Susan's list on women who love Italy.

This book by Frances Mayes is a stunning memoir of her personal journey in Tuscany. It’s about loving and feeling deeply connected to a place. Her writing is authentic and evocative. She describes her time in Italy with such devotion it borders on poetic, as she transports you into her home, her daily life, and her kitchen. Under The Tuscan Sun is a love letter to what is best about Italy. It is part personal journey of discovery, part travelogue, part history, and part cookbook: it’s the best of all those worlds. If you’re so inclined, then cook up a…

From Deborah's list on making you laugh and love traveling.

Frances Mayes narrates life in Tuscany with a clear, refreshing voice, adding in some cooking recipes, scenic Tuscan landscapes, and adventures around Italy, along with the recipe to find happiness in the simple things in life, in a wonderful foreign setting. Italy like you’ve never experienced it before, through the eyes of an almost-local.

I love how Frances, after heartbreak, leaves everything behind to reinvent her life in beautiful Tuscany Italy. Doesn’t that sound dreamy? Although she faces challenges and hardships—language barrier, renovating an old house, making friends—it’s a lovely worthwhile journey. And her descriptions of grand old homes, glorious vineyards, delicious foods... are all scrumptious. I visited Italy ages ago and being transported back there in this delightful autobiographical story was pure delight. 

From Melody's list on vineyards.

When it was first published, Frances Mayes struck gold with Under the Tuscan Sun. It is a book that plugs into the contemporary fantasy of giving it all up to live out the idyll in some sun-kissed spot abroad. I confess I am a sucker for it and to read of her patient and loving restoration of Bramsole, the house she bought near Cortona, is to indulge in a highly potent daydream of a beautiful, neglected dreaming house longing for the restorative touch – and she is the one to bestow it. There are the funny and, occasionally, almost…

Another blockbuster book about Italy, this memoir introduces the reader to the ins and outs of daily living in Italy from the viewpoint of an American. The insights into the Italian people and their wonderful culture are truly enjoyable and written with wit and understanding. Her observations are spot-on and welcome the reader into her adventure. Reading this memoir about the villa she bought in Tuscan will make you want to book a trip to Italy and buy your own villa to renovate!

From Margo's list on to take you to enchanting Italy.

Want books like Under the Tuscan Sun?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Under the Tuscan Sun.

Browse books like Under the Tuscan Sun

Book cover of A Year in Provence
Book cover of Footsteps: Adventures of a Romantic Biographer
Book cover of The Talented Mr. Ripley

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,388

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Tuscany, Italy, and Rome?

Tuscany 24 books
Italy 410 books
Rome 340 books