diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b378d310..64f4b659 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def __str__(self):
     long_description="A Python package for Distance-based Analysis of DAta-manifolds.",
     packages=["dadapy", "dadapy._utils"],
     install_requires=["numpy", "scipy", "scikit-learn", "matplotlib"],
-    extras_require={"dev": ["tox", "black", "isort", "pytest"]},
+    extras_require={"dev": ["tox", "black", "isort", "pytest", "mistletoe"]},
     cmdclass=cmdclass,
     ext_modules=ext_modules,
 )
diff --git a/tests/test_docs/test_readme.py b/tests/test_docs/test_readme.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3692efa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_docs/test_readme.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# Copyright 2021-2022 The DADApy Authors. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+# ==============================================================================
+
+"""Test the README content."""
+
+import inspect
+import json
+import os
+from io import StringIO
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional
+
+import mistletoe
+from mistletoe.ast_renderer import ASTRenderer
+
+MISTLETOE_CODE_BLOCK_ID = "CodeFence"
+CUR_PATH = Path(inspect.getfile(inspect.currentframe())).parent
+ROOT_DIR = Path(CUR_PATH, "../..").resolve().absolute()
+
+
+def code_block_filter(block_dict: Dict, language: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
+    """
+    Check Mistletoe block is a code block.
+
+    Args:
+        block_dict: the block dictionary describing a Mistletoe document node
+        language: optionally check also the language field
+
+    Returns:
+        True if the block satistifes the conditions, False otherwise
+    """
+    return block_dict["type"] == MISTLETOE_CODE_BLOCK_ID and (
+        language is None or block_dict["language"] == language
+    )
+
+
+def python_code_block_filter(block_dict: Dict) -> bool:
+    """Filter Python code blocks."""
+    return code_block_filter(block_dict, language="python")
+
+
+def code_block_extractor(child_dict: Dict) -> str:
+    """Extract Mistletoe code block from Mistletoe CodeFence child."""
+    # we assume that 'children' of CodeFence child has only one child (may be wrong)
+    assert len(child_dict["children"]) == 1
+    return child_dict["children"][0]["content"]
+
+
+class BaseTestMarkdownDocs:
+    """Base test class for testing Markdown documents."""
+
+    DOC_PATH: Path
+    blocks: List[Dict]
+    code_blocks: List[str]
+    python_blocks: List[str]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setup_class(cls) -> None:
+        """Set up the test."""
+        doc_content = cls.DOC_PATH.read_text()
+        doc_file_descriptor = StringIO(doc_content)
+        markdown_parsed = mistletoe.markdown(doc_file_descriptor, renderer=ASTRenderer)
+        markdown_json = json.loads(markdown_parsed)
+        cls.blocks = markdown_json["children"]
+        cls.code_blocks = list(
+            map(code_block_extractor, filter(code_block_filter, cls.blocks))
+        )
+        cls.python_blocks = list(
+            map(code_block_extractor, filter(python_code_block_filter, cls.blocks))
+        )
+
+
+class TestReadme(BaseTestMarkdownDocs):
+    """Test the README Python code snippets."""
+
+    DOC_PATH = Path(ROOT_DIR, "README.md")
+
+    def test_quickstart_code(self) -> None:
+        """Test the Python code in the readme file."""
+        quickstart_code_snippet = self.python_blocks[0]
+
+        with open("_test_readme_temp.py", "w") as f:
+            for line in quickstart_code_snippet.splitlines():
+                f.write(line)
+                f.write("\n")
+
+        termination_code = os.system("python _test_readme_temp.py")
+        os.remove("_test_readme_temp.py")
+
+        assert termination_code == 0