If you’re considering translating your book into Italian because you have a special connection with Italy or believe there’s a significant Italian audience interested in your work, here’s an overview of the Italian publishing market and what topics are most read by the people of the “Bel Paese,” as Italy is often called.
Let's start with some figures
Italian is spoken by approximately 67 million people, of which about 59 million reside in Italy. Italian is also the official language of San Marino, the Vatican City, and Switzerland, where there are two cantons with an Italian majority.
An interesting fact concerns the number of people studying Italian. After English, Spanish, and Chinese, Italian is the fourth most studied language in the world, and its popularity has been steadily increasing in recent years. The reasons for the growing interest in the language of Dante are diverse but mainly revolve around sectors where Italy is a point of reference: art, music, gastronomy, religion, and tourism. If your book is related to any of these topics, you should seriously consider translating it into Italian to reach an audience of enthusiasts who otherwise wouldn’t have access to your text. Keep in mind that in Italy, only 1 out of 5 people can read a book in another language, typically English.
What do Italians read?
Italy is a fairly traditional country and people still prefer physical books over e-books, as well as Italian fiction over foreign fiction. However, the e-book market is growing, especially since the lockdown during the pandemic, and the number of translated foreign books keeps increasing every year.
Regarding fiction, Italians currently love reading mainly:
Children’s and young adult books are by far the most important and profitable segment of the Italian publishing market. In 2022, Italy witnessed the sale of 23 million children’s books, more than 20% of the total titles sold. The importance of the sector is underscored by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, one of the world’s most important fairs for children’s books rights held annually in Bologna, northern Italy. From an economic standpoint, translating your children’s book into Italian is a winning choice because, with a generally modest investment, you can enter a solid and continuously growing market.
From 2019 to 2023, comic book sales in Italy more than tripled, and the number of fans keeps increasing. While comics were previously considered second-class books in Italy, today they hold great importance, and some Italian comic artists have become true stars, with Zerocalcare being one of the most prominent. Additionally, the Lucca Comics and Games convention, one of the world’s most important comic book fairs, is held every year in Tuscany. If you want to translate your comic into Italian and find a new audience eager for new titles, contact us.
Long considered a minor genre, romance novels are increasingly captivating Italian readers, and love stories have dominated the bestseller lists, especially those by author Erin Boom. In 2022, sales of Italian romance novels tripled, and sales of translated foreign romance novels in Italian increased by +47%. It’s essential to note that in Italy, readers are mainly young women, the traditional audience for romance novels. If you’ve written a romance novel, perhaps set in Italy, it’s the perfect time to translate it into Italian!
these are a reflection of the interests of Italians:
Everyone vacations in Italy, but Italians also go on vacation! In the non-fiction market, tourist guides are the most widely read genre in Italy, and sales are on the rise. In addition to reference travel books like Rough Guides and Lonely Planet, more informal tourist guides written by those who genuinely know the places they talk about are gaining popularity.
Italy has a great interest in the ancient world, especially Roman history. Historical novels set in ancient times and biographies of great emperors are highly appreciated.
Italian food is known and cherished worldwide, but perhaps not everyone knows that Italians are passionate about cuisine, and there’s significant interest in recipe books. In addition to traditional Italian recipes, there is a good audience for ethnic cuisine and books aimed at people with dietary restrictions.
Catholicism has always played a prominent role in Italy, thanks in part to the presence of the Pope in the Vatican City, a tiny state within the city of Rome. It’s a niche sector, but it’s undeniable that religious-themed books are of great interest in Italy.
The genres we've listed are just some of those successful in the Italian market.
If your book doesn’t fall into these categories, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t translate it. You know your audience better than anyone, and if you know that there’s a niche of Italian readers passionate about what you write, perhaps because of your connection to Italy or because you live there, it’s certainly worth translating your book into Italian.
Want to know how to proceed? Read our translation guide or visit our dedicated service page. Alternatively, contact us directly for a 30-minute informative call.
