Will, the writer touring Italy, recalled travels (5)
I believe the answer is:
flies
'travels' is the definition.
(flying is a kind of traveling)
'will the writer touring italy recalled' is the wordplay.
'will the writer' becomes 'self' (novelist Will Self).
'touring' is an insertion indicator (touring can mean going round).
'italy' becomes 'i'.
'recalled' is a reversal indicator.
'self' going around 'i' is 'seilf'.
'seilf' written backwards gives 'FLIES'.
(Other definitions for flies that I've seen before include "Insects; passes swiftly" , "Insects; goes quickly" , "Trouser zip area -- travels through the air" .)