Inferno, Dan Brown’s last book will be on the bookshelves in May 2013. The latest episode of Robert Langdon’s adventures takes inspiration from the first part of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Dante wrote its masterpiece at the beginning of 1300, imagining its journey in the company of Virgil through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio) and Heaven (Paradiso) . 

Seven centuries later Dan Brown sets the scene in modern Florence, where Dante was born and lived until he was exiled. The plot of this new book is still unknown but is likely to build upon the many locations and symbols related to the Divine Comedy of which the city of Florence is full. Or it may use some of the Dantesque places of the city starting from the house where Dante was born and finishing with the empty grave in the church of Santa Croce where the body of the Florentine poet never found rest.

But where is this interest for a Medieval text coming from ? The author says "I studied Dante's Inferno in high school, but it wasn't until recently, while researching in Florence, that I came to appreciate the enduring influence of Dante's work on the modern world ... With this new novel, I am excited to take readers on a journey deep into this mysterious realm... a landscape of codes, symbols, and more than a few secret passageways." And perhaps Dan is just a nickname for Dante.

Will this new novel replicate the worldwide success of the Da Vinci Code that sold more than 80 million copies around the globe ? Hard to tell, but in all likelyhood it will increase even more the number of tourists coming every year to Florence and we will be happy to help them enjoying the beauty of the city.

To discover Florence with us take a look at our Heart of Florence walking tour. If you are interested in other Dan Brown's books, you may like our Angel's and Demons tour of Rome.