Movies to watch/Books to read before going to Europe?

I love love love My Life in France by Julia Child. She writes about falling in love with food and cooking while living in France. It is mostly set in Paris.

Roman Holiday. Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn. What could be better?

'Pillars of the Earth' and 'World Without End' by Ken Follet - will give you a whole new outlook on how cathedrals and structures were buildt and the way the people in England & Europe lived. Excellent books!!!

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium--for how not to do it.

Europe 101: History & Art for the Traveler, by Rick--to have a better understanding of what you're seeing

La Bella Figura, by Beppe Severgnini--for insights into the Italians

Second the vote for Beerfest and Eurotrip. May not be what you're looking for, but they're great, anyway.

"Europe thru The Back Door" & "Best of Europe" - both Rick Steves guide books that you can order elsewhere on this web site.

London: John Fieldings mysteries that take place in 18th century London, Sherlock Holmes, Charles Todd's mysteries. Paris: Claudia Blackman's books. Sebastian Faulks Birdsong. Germany: Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir. Also, if you like alternative history check out Eric Flint's 1632 and sequel's. Lots of fun and some funky 30-years war history.

Pam

Heidi's Alp. It was my inspiration right out of college. I think I'll go read it again right now.

On DVD, "A Little Romance" with Diane Lane (Paris & Northern Italy), "Last Chance Harvey" with Dustin Hoffman (London), any Jason Bourne movies with Matt Damon, "Two Days In Paris" with Julie Delphy, "Amelie" & "The DaVinci Code" with Audrey Tatou, "Paris Je T'aime", any DVDs from Globe Trekker (especially the ones that focus on the cities you will visit).

I liked the book "London" by Edward Rutherford. He has one about Dublin too, which I would like to read.

Have you read anything by Bill Bryson? His book about Great Britain is great. Paul Theroux is good too, especially about train travel.

My favorite movie about Germany right now, is "Good-bye Lenin", though I am not sure if you can get this in English.

Not knowing your age or the genres that may interest you, I can recommend any title by Dickens or Jane Austen for London & Hugo, Dumas, or Voltaire for Paris. Excellent films for Germany include Downfall, The White Ribbon, A Woman in Berlin, and The Baader-Meinhof Complex (all in German with English subtitles). If you can stand a chick flick, Letters to Juliet might work for Italy. Jo mentioned Bill Bryson from Des Moines...his work is very good.

I almost forgot to mention the films Paris, je t'aime and Mary Antoinette (with Kirsten Dunst) for Paris.

Paris J'Taime, set in Paris, is a must. It's 16 short films with famous actors---all stories share a Paris setting. Also good, Name of the Rose (medieval Alpine monastery) and Under the Tuscan Sun.

Books: if you like mysteries, Sharan Newman has a series about Catherine Levandeur, all set in medieval Paris. For modern Paris mysteries, check out the Aimee Leduc series by Cara Black. Pillars of the Earth and Sarum are two of my England favorites. Donna Leon does a series of mysteries set in present-day Venice.

For England, there are hundreds of books and movies to choose from.

I love the classic movies for Paris: Charade starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, Funny Face with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. If you like intrigue, many of Helen McInnes' novels are set in Paris, Venice, Rome. Hope you have a great trip!

@Jo - I like "Good-bye Lenin" very much also. It is available with English subtitles in the US. It's a great take on Berlin before and after the Wall fell.

If you plan to drive from Paris to Italy...the book and movie of the same name: A Year In Provence...excellent!

Books:

The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

My Life in Paris by Julia Child (second vote)

Movies:
Amelie (second vote)

Mid-August Lunch. Italian film. I saw it at a film festival in Madison and it is just awesome! I don't know if you can find it or not?

The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine, by Rudolph Chelminski--for a better understanding of the French and food.

A few, and not all original - and not all 'travelogues', but they happen in Europe...

If It's Tuesday, Chocolat (the 'J. Binoche' one), Nat'l Lampoons' European Vacation (God love those Griswolds, and those poor kids - 'Sparky' goes through a pair in every movie!), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Great Britain, historical-ish, and some spoken French - counts in my book!), Amelie, Is Paris Burning?, Paris, Je T'aime (the 'French student' in the last 'movie' is a Tony award-nominated actress from my home town - yea, hometown girl!), La Vie en Rose, Queen Margot/La Reine Margot, Purple Noon/Plein Soleil, Lucie Aubrac.

What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, Bread and Tulips, Il Postino, Amarcord, Cinema Paradiso, Italian for Beginners, Jakob the Liar, The Pianist, The Lives of Others, Life is Beautiful, In Bruges.

Books - Brunelleschi's Dome, Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, The Longest Day, The Longest Post (just checking to see if you're still reading!) and a bunch of others - way too many to type out...maybe add some later...

EDIT: How could I have forgotten the cinematic force that is French Kiss?!? ("your pipple make my a** twitch") DOH! And Charade (already mentioned).

And I definitely second Kent and Charlie - read the RS books, if you haven't already.

And I definitely recommend The Innocents Abroad, ESP. if you've already traveled abroad...it's much funnier that way! Make sure your copy has the original illustrations - the ones of the saints (#s84-88) kill me! (and thanks, Ron in Florida, for reminding me)

I almost forgot to mention the film, The Lives of Others…another German language film with English subtitles. This is an excellent film about an East German Stasi officer spying on playwrights, musicians, and artists (i.e. “subversives”). He has an epiphany and a subsequent chance at redemption. It’s one of the most moving films I’ve ever seen.

Here are some ideas for France and England; sorry I'm not much help for Italy and Germany.

The Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne is a wonderful history of Paris; also enjoyed The Road from the Past, by Ina Caro [subtitle Traveling through History in France]. Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, a great history of the 14th century in France. The Philosopher's Demise: Learning French, by Richard Watson.

For historical fiction, in addition to all the great ideas posted already, I really enjoyed Conan Doyle's medieval stories The White Company and Sir Nigel; The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George; and The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey [who really did kill the Princes in the Tower?]

Have a wonderful trip!

"Death In Venice and Seven other Short Stories" by Thomas Mann, if you can find it, maybe in a used book store.

Someone told me to watch "The Agony and the Ecstacy". It stars Charlton Heston and is all about Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Has anyone mentioned "Angels and Demons" for Rome and the first Bourne movie with Matt Damon had alot of Paris in it. Also "The Italian Job" was recommended to me because it's set in Venice. And how about "Love Actually" and "Notting Hill" for London.