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Travel by Books

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Travel the world by reading books. Select a country and we will help you find which author, which story, will take you to where you want to go.

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Travel By Book: 12 Countries Solo Women Love

by Tina Hartas | Jun 17, 2023

A woman sits and reads a book in a park

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Last updated on November 19th, 2023

Featured image: Discover 12 countries women love with these books | Photo by Hoverstock on Envato

Travel by book with these 12 novels

by Tina Hartas

In a recent survey, JourneyWoman readers shared some of the countries they’re planning to visit in 2023 . From Africa to Peru, there are many wonderful cultures to explore. This month, we have chosen 12 top titles across several genres to help readers get a feel for each country and travel by book.

Hopefully, you will get to explore some of the countries in person but in the meantime enjoy your ‘trip’ by book.

12 Countries to Travel By Book

1. leopard at the door by jennifer mcveigh.

Stepping off the boat in Mombasa, eighteen-year-old Rachel Fullsmith stands on Kenyan soil for the first time in six years. She has come home.

But when Rachel reaches the family farm at the end of the dusty Rift Valley road, she finds so much has changed. Her beloved father has moved his new partner and her son into the family home. She hears menacing rumours of Mau Mau violence and witnesses cruel reprisals by British soldiers. Even Michael, the handsome Kikuyu boy from her childhood, has started to look at her differently.

Isolated and conflicted, Rachel fears for her future. But when home is no longer a place of safety and belonging, where do you go, and who do you turn to?

Thinking about a Safari? Visit our Women’s Travel Directory here.

Leopard at the Door Book Cover

2. Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior

Veronica McCreedy is about to have the journey of a lifetime . . .

Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion by the sea. She loves a nice cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching a good wildlife documentary. And she’s never seen without her ruby-red lipstick. Although these days Veronica is rarely seen by anyone because, at 85, her days are spent mostly at home, alone.

She can be found either collecting litter from the beach (‘people who litter the countryside should be shot’), trying to locate her glasses (‘someone must have moved them’) or shouting instructions to her assistant, Eileen (‘Eileen, door!’).

Veronica doesn’t have family or friends nearby. Not that she knows about, anyway . . . And she has no idea where she’s going to leave her considerable wealth when she dies. But today, today Veronica is going to make a decision that will change all of this.

Read More: Bucket List Travel: Going to the End of the World in Antarctica

Away With the Penguins Book Cover

3. The Office of Gardens and Ponds by Didier Decoin (TR: Euan Cameron)

The village of Shimae is thrown into turmoil when master carp catcher Katsuro suddenly drowns in the murky waters of the Kusagawa River. Who now will carry the precious cargo of carp to the Imperial Palace and preserve the crucial patronage that everyone in the village depends upon?

Step forward Miyuki, Katsuro’s grief-struck widow and the only remaining person in the village who knows anything about carp. She alone can undertake the long, perilous journey to the Imperial Palace, balancing the heavy baskets of fish on a pole across her shoulders, and ensure her village’s future.

So Miyuki sets off. Along her way, she will encounter a host of remarkable characters, from prostitutes and innkeepers, to warlords and priests with evil in mind. She will endure ambushes and disaster, for the villagers are not the only people fixated on the fate of the eight magnificent carp.

But when she reaches the Office of Gardens and Ponds, Miyuki discovers that the trials of her journey are far from over. For in the Imperial City, nothing is quite as it seems, and beneath a veneer of refinement and ritual, there is an impenetrable barrier of politics and snobbery that Miyuki must overcome if she is to return to Shimae.

Read More: What to Know for Your First Solo Trip to Kyoto, Japan

Office of Gardens and Ponds Book Cover

4. Chasing the Sun by Katy Colins

Georgia Green is on the conveyor belt to happiness.

Live-in boyfriend, a perfect career and great friends, it seems like Georgia is only a Tiffany box away from her happily ever after. But when she arrives in Australia for her best friend’s wedding and is faced with the bridezilla from hell, she starts to realise that she might not want the cookie-cutter ending she thought.

What was meant to be a trip full of sunny days at the beach and wedding planning over cocktails, has turned into another problem for her to fix – just like the ones she’d left behind. With hardly any time for her boyfriend, let alone herself, it feels like there is just too much to juggle. It might be time for Georgia to step off the conveyor belt to find the balance in life and see if she really can have it all…

Chasing the Sun Book Cover

5. Overkill by Vanda Symon (No.1 in the Sam Shephard series) 

New Zealand

When the body of a young mother is found washed up on the banks of the Mataura River, a small rural community is rocked by her tragic suicide. But all is not what it seems.

Sam Shephard, a sole-charge police constable in Mataura, soon discovers the death was no suicide and has to face the realisation that there is a killer in town. To complicate the situation, the murdered woman was the wife of her former lover. When Sam finds herself on the list of suspects and is suspended from duty, she must cast aside her personal feelings and take matters into her own hands.

To find the murderer … and clear her name.

A taut, atmospheric and page-turning thriller,  Overkill  marks the start of an unputdownable and unforgettable series from one of New Zealand’s finest crime writers.

Read More: The Best Biking and Ebiking Trails in New Zealand

Overkill Book Cover

6. The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting

Scandinavia

Norway, 1880. Winter is hard in Butangen, a village secluded at the end of a valley. The lake has frozen, and for months the ground is too hard to bury the dead. Astrid Hekne dreams of a life beyond all this, beyond marriage, children, and working the land to the end of her days. Then Pastor Kai Schweigaard takes over the small parish, with its 700-year-old stave church carved with pagan deities. The two bells in the tower were forged by Astrid’s forefather in the sixteenth century, in memory of conjoined twins Halfrid and Gunhild Hekne. They are said to hold supernatural powers. The villagers are wary of the pastor and his resolve to do away with their centuries-old traditions, though Astrid also finds herself drawn to him. And then a stranger arrives from Dresden, with grand plans for the church itself. For headstrong Astrid this may be a provocation too far. Talented architecture student Gerhard Schönauer is an improbable figure in this rugged community. Astrid has never met anyone like him; he seems so different, so sensitive. She finds that she must make a choice: for her homeland and the pastor, or for an uncertain future in Germany.  Then the bells begin to ring . . .

The Bell in the Lake Book Cover

7. From the Mouth of the Whale by Sjón

In this magical evocation of a vanished age, a poet and self-taught healer is banished in 1635 to a barren island off Iceland – a place darkened by superstition, poverty and cruelty. 

With only a purple sandpiper for company, Jónas Pálmason retraces his path to exile, recalling his exorcism of a walking corpse, the massacre of innocent Basque whalers at the hands of local villagers and the deaths of three of his children. 

But amid the cacophony of Copenhagen he will find hope and, finally, recognition of his enlightened ideas.

Read More: Why Iceland Should Be Your First Post-Pandemic Solo Trip

From the Mouth of the Whale Book Cover

8. Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

The Galapagos Islands 

Diana O’Toole’s life is going perfectly to plan. At twenty-nine, she’s up for promotion to her dream job as an art specialist at Sotheby’s and she’s about to fly to the Galápagos where she’s convinced her surgeon boyfriend, Finn, is going to propose.

But then the virus hits New York City and Finn breaks the news: the hospital needs him, he has to stay. But you should still go , he insists. And reluctantly, she agrees. Once she’s in the Galápagos, the world shuts down around her, leaving Diana stranded – albeit in paradise.

Completely isolated, with only intermittent news from the outside world, Diana finds herself examining everything that has brought her to this point and wondering if there’s a better way to live.

But not everything is as it seems . . .

Find a tour to the Galapagos Islands here!

Wish You Were Here Book Cover

9. A Theatre for Dreamers by Polly Samson

Erica is 18 and ready for freedom. It’s the summer of 1960 when she lands on the sun-baked Greek island of Hydra where she is swept up in a circle of bohemian poets, painters, musicians, writers and artists, living tangled lives.

Life on their island paradise is heady, dream-like, a string of seemingly endless summer days. But nothing can last forever.

A Theatre For Dreamers Book Cover

10. Dogstar Rising by Parker Bilal

It is the summer of 2001 and in Cairo’s crowded streets the heat is rising…

The unsolved murders of young homeless boys are fanning the embers of religious hatred. As tensions mount, Makana, who fled his native Sudan a decade ago, has been hired to investigate threats that have been made to a hapless travel agent. The case draws him close to Meera, a woman who knows what it is like to lose everything and who needs his help.

But Makana’s troubled past is trying to lay claim to him once again, this time in the form of a dubious businessman who possesses a powerful secret.

When Makana witnesses a brutal killing he uncovers a web of intrigue, violence and old secrets, and attracts the attention of some very dangerous people.

Dogstar Rising Book Cover

11. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

A woman has to be tough as steel up here. You can’t count on anyone to save you and your children. You have to be willing to save yourselves. Thirteen-year-old Leni is coming of age in a tumultuous time. Caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, she dares to hope that Alaska will lead to a better future for her family, and a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown. As Leni grows up in the shadow of her parents’ increasingly volatile marriage, she meets Matthew. And Matthew – thoughtful, kind, brave – makes her believe in the possibility of a better life . . . With her trademark combination of elegant prose and deeply drawn characters, Kristin Hannah celebrates the remarkable and enduring strength of women.

Great Alone Book Cover

12. Andina by Martin Morales

Andina  is the cuisine of the Andes of Peru. Welcome to one of the most contemporary yet ancient cuisines in the world. Featuring over 110 delicious and unfussy recipes accompanied by fascinating stories, dazzling photography and beautiful paintings,  Andina  is the first ever book to capture the food and scenery of the Andes and the spirit of its people and traditions.

Andina also signifies a dish, an ingredient or a lady from the Andes. Martin Morales’s grandmother was an andina and here he pays homage to her and all the women chefs (picanteras) who have shaped this soulful and traditional cuisine, which is at the heart of Peruvian food.

For the last 15 years, Martin has travelled throughout the Peruvian Andes to collect simple, traditional recipes, magical stories and culinary inspiration. With dishes dating back thousands of years, alongside new creations by Martin Morales and his team of chefs who run the award-winning Andina restaurants, Andina’s recipes have big flavours, vibrant colour and are simple to cook at home. From light, raw dishes to hearty stews and soups; cheeky bites to exquisite roasts; and sweet, aromatic desserts to comforting hot drinks,  Andina  presents authentic, nutritious all-day and all-year-round food made with seasonal ingredients.

Andina Book Cover

More Great Books to Inspire You

Literary Adventures: Travel in France and Italy With Best-Selling Authors

Literary Adventures: Travel in France and Italy With Best-Selling Authors

by Carolyn Ray | Feb 17, 2024

Loved the book? Now you can join a trip with best-selling authors to France and Italy, curated by Absolutely Southern France.

A Book for Bookstore Lovers: “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”

A Book for Bookstore Lovers: “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”

by Carolyn Ray | Feb 15, 2024

Set on a fictional island in the US, “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” is a powerful reminder about what saves us from loneliness and isolation.

Finding Joy: Rona Maynard and Life Lessons From Casey, her “Starter Dog”

Finding Joy: Rona Maynard and Life Lessons From Casey, her “Starter Dog”

by Carolyn Ray | Jan 10, 2024

A candid, funny conversation with feminist icon Rona Maynard, who shares her journey of reinvention after her career at Canada’s Chatelaine magazine.

Tina Hartas

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Tina Hartas studied History of Art and German at University and went on to do an MA in Conservation of Fine Art. She has always loved reading and travel and has delighted in reading novels set in any given location. On a trip to Vienna 15 years ago it proved virtually impossible to trawl the internet and find a book set in the city. Thus the concept of TripFiction was born.

We always strive to use real photos from our own adventures, provided by the guest writer or from our personal travels. However, in some cases, due to photo quality, we must use stock photography. If you have any questions about the photography please let us know. Disclaimer: We are so happy that you are checking out this page right now! We only recommend things that are suggested by our community, or through our own experience, that we believe will be helpful and practical for you. Some of our pages contain links, which means we’re part of an affiliate program for the product being mentioned. Should you decide to purchase a product using a link from on our site, JourneyWoman may earn a small commission from the retailer, which helps us maintain our beautiful website. JourneyWoman is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you! We want to hear what you think about this article, and we welcome any updates or changes to improve it. You can comment below, or send an email to us at [email protected] .

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Travel By Book: 9 Stories to Discover

Travel by book is a great way to explore.

You might mark out plans for a place you are planning on going, or ones you’re dreaming of visiting. Maybe you’ve heard of a place you have yet to learn about and want to know more. Perhaps architecture, music, history or some other interest has led you to travel by book.

Then again you might be reading while traveling, immersing yourself in new worlds through word as well as action. Could be reading will take you back in time or to imaginary worlds — or perhaps to a bookshop.

As I write this, days are growing shorter and nights longer. Autumn and winter bring with them all sorts of holidays and occasions thinking of gifts to give, too.

book cup biscuits cookies

All that said, we’ve explored quite a few ways to travel by book here across the years.

Jennifer in fact went around the world in eight books. She points you to Turkey, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Nigeria… for starters.

For travel that begins closer to home, Sheila’s memory of a book her parents gave to her when she was small led her to a trip not exactly by railroad, but certainly connected with railroad history.

man reading Black history

Climate and the changes people who work in nature see first hand — and what they do about them — form the stories in Rancher Farmer Fisherman. I found it non fiction which reads as interestingly as a novel. Its stories of lives lived in the midst of changing environments in the US heartland introduce you to people you will care about and think about, I suspect, long after you’ve set the volume down.

book mississippi river bluff winter rancher farmer fisherman

I’ve several stories pointing you to Ireland as setting. Four novels set in places from Galway to Cork, from Down to Kildare in varied times in the history of Ireland are what you will find in one such story.

ireland sign in gaelic louth book

Liz has a selection of tales for you in case you’d like to do some armchair (or actual) travel to Cuba.

I took you back in time to Louisiana (and at times other places) in the decades before the Civil War to find out what it was like for Benjamin January, an educated African American man with a complex past and present, who is a free man of color.

On a related note, Sheila points the way to several books which she has found helpful in understanding Civil Rights history in the US as she visits the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

In another story, I add to that idea with a book about Freedom Summer, and music that goes along, too.

Another way to travel by book is by food. We’ve quite a few food and cookbook stories to do with specific places and cultures, and if you’d like to dive right in to world travel through food 48 Countries one book will point the way.

Travel dreams with tea and boook

Singer and songwriter Dar Williams, who travels as part of her work, offers What I Found in a Thousand Towns. I found that it has to do with practical, real, and uplifting ways that people are building community across all sorts of what might be differences of opinion, or walls, or borders. There is story, there is reflection, there is a fine sense of place in several quite different communities, and there are good questions.

woman reading book by water climate change

There is much more to discover in our stories about travel by book: Native American history, street food of India, photographs of Iran, the Book of Kells, an unusual memoir from Afghanistan, and a gentle story of an Indiana Christmas are but a few of the ways we offer you to travel by book. We will have more to offer in future, as well

Explore, and see what you may discover, for your own reading and as gifts to share.

Consider subscribing to our stories through e mail, and connecting with us through your favorite social networks. You will find links to do that in the sidebar — and while you’re at that social network exploring, we invite you to keep up with our adventures by liking the Perceptive Travel Facebook page.

Related posts:

About the author.

travel by book

Kerry Dexter

Kerry Dexter is one of six writers who contribute to Perceptive Travel’s blog. You will often find her writing about places, events, and people connected with music, history, and the arts in Europe and North America. You may find more of Kerry's work at her site Music Road as well as in Wandering Educators, National Geographic Traveler, Ireland and the Americas, and other places online and in print.

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Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

15 Travel Books That Will Give You Serious Wanderlust

A man walking in a library full of books

The end of the year is just that time for favorites lists – and I’ve written about the best travel books many times over! I love talking about travel books. Why? Because part of the tool belt of any traveler is a good book. Long bus, train, or plane rides can get pretty boring and can give you a lot of “dead” time if you haven’t mastered the art of the 10-hour blank stare. Additionally, reading travel books helps you learn about the destinations you are visiting. The more you know about a place, the more you can understand a place.

I am a voracious reader and even used to have a book club on this website where I shared all the books I read. Today is another one of those days where I share some of the books I’ve read recently! If you’re looking for some great reads, here are my current list of the best travel books to inspire you to travel to far-off lands:  

1. The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

2. Love With a Chance of Drowning , by Torre DeRoche

Love with a chance of drowning

3. The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca  by Tahir Shah

The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca

4. On the Road , by Jack Kerouac

on the road

5. Looking for Transwonderland , by Noo Saro-Wiwa

Looking for Transwonderland book cover

6. The Lost City of Z , by David Grann

The Lost City of Z book cover

7. The Beach , by Alex Garland

the beach book cover

8. Vagabonding , by Rolf Potts

vagabonding cover

9. In A Sunburned Country , by Bill Bryson

In a Sunburned Country cover

10. Dispatches from Pluto , by Richard Grant

The cover of the book Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta

11. Turn Right at Machu Picchu , by Mark Adams

Turn Right at Machu Picchu book cover

12. A Year of Living Danishly , by Helen Russell

A Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell

13. The Art of Travel , by Alain de Botton

The Art of Travel book cover

14. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home , by Tembi Locke

From Scratch book cover

BONUS: Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home , by me!

Ten Years a Nomad by Matt Kepnes

Books about travel inspire us to go visit far-off lands and imagine us doing incredible things. Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country inspired me to visit Australia! I hope these travel books inspire you to travel the world and feed your wanderlust. If you have any suggestions that I can add to this best travel books list, leave them in the comments.

If you’d like to see some of the other books I’ve recommended (or are currently reading), check out this page I created on Amazon that lists them all!

You can also find them listed in our Bookshop store, which helps support locally-owned bookstores. If you’re in the US, click here to check out my Bookshop store!

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

  • SafetyWing (best for everyone)
  • Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
  • Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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34 Best Travel Books That Will Take You All Around the World

No plane ticket required.

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These expansive reads range from scenic train trips in Kazakhstan ( Around the World in 80 Trains ) to romantic jaunts in Europe ( Under the Tuscan Sun ) to hiking treks ( Wild ). Vintage accounts like Freya Stark's excursion to Persia in the 1930s, or Beryl Markham's feat of aviation in 1936, capture a time when crossing an ocean was no easy task. Travel books by Black authors like Tembi Locke's Italy-set From Scratch or Overground Railroad by Candacy Taylor explore the intersection of race and voyaging. And gorgeous coffee table books from National Geographic and the New York Times will inspire constant wanderlust for everyone, whether you're a young adult looking to backpack or a retiree planning a long-awaited vacation.

These timeless travel books are as relevant in 2021 as they were when they were written, and they all have one thing in common: they'll take you on a journey and perhaps even change the way you see the world.

Due North by Lola Akinmade Åkerström

Lola Akinmade Åkerström has what many people would consider a dream job: She's an award-winning travel photographer and writer.  Due North  is a collection of all that she's learned. Amid spirited insights about destinations, Åkerström also gets personal about her experiences abroad as a Nigerian woman. "The more visa stamps in my passport, the more my motives for travel were deeply questioned," she writes. 

Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish

There are no better Scotland travel guides than the Scottish stars of one of TV's most Scottish series,  Outlander . In  the show  Men in Kilts , co-stars and off-screen friends  Sam Heughan  and Graham McTavish travel around their native country for the best off-the-beaten-path delights, historical insights, and Outlander  tie-ins.  This book is best enjoyed with a glass of scotch. 

Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities, and the Pleasures of Solitude by Stephanie Rosenbloom

Alone Time  offers a reminder that the best travel companion is...you. In the memoir, Stephanie Rosenbloom documents solo trips across four cities: Paris, Istanbul, Florence, and New York. The book explores what it means to make peace with solitude. 

My Little Cities: Paris by Jennifer Adams

After reading this board book over (and over), your toddler will be better acquainted with the City of Light. Soon, they'll be asking for baguettes and saying merci. Follow this book up with other installments in the My Little Cities series, like New York and London . 

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

In this YA page-turner, Ginny receives an inheritance from her recently deceased aunt in the form of 13 envelopes, each naming a destination. What does Ginny's Aunt Peg want her to find? Combine the adventure of a scavenger hunt with the joy of travel, and you'll get this novel—which adults will enjoy, too.

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders

Every city has its list of must-sees. But what about the places that don't make any Top 10 list, and are all the more magnificent for it?  Atlas Obscura  is devoted to rounding up the world's hidden gems. 

This Way Back by Joanna Eleftheriou

Memoirist Joanna Eleftheriou spent her life traveling between the mountain village in Cyprus where her father was from and Queens, NY, where she went to high school.  This Way Back  is about the challenge of creating a sense of identity when you're from a place that has an identity crisis of its own: In 1974, following a Turkish invasion,  Cyprus was partitioned , with its Greek population confined to the island's southern portion and Turkish population to the north. 

World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever

For years, the late Anthony Bourdain was a tour guide to our world through shows like  No Reservations and  Parts Unknown . He espoused a kind of travel that was less about sight-seeing, and more about learning about and respecting the culture around you through food. This book compiles Bourdain's guidance for navigating his favorite cities, including Buenos Aires, New York, and Shanghai, as well as other destinations. 

Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips

Journeys of a Lifetime  is the kind of book that will delight readers at any stage—because there's a trip for everyone. Retirees looking for their next adventure might enjoy some of the lengthier trips. Train across Europe, anyone?   

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke

In this tear-jerker of a memoir, Tembi Locke—an actress who has appeared in  The Mentalist , Castle and Bones —recalls the defining relationship of her life. While she was studying abroad in Florence, Locke met Saro, a Sicilian chef, and fell in love almost instantly.  From Scratch is being adapted into a movie starring Zoe Saldana . 

All the Way to the Tigers: A Memoir by Mary Morris

Featured as a pick in  O , the Oprah Magazine's summer books round-up,  All the Way to the Tigers   is the refreshing literary answer to  Tiger King .  Mary Morris, author of the solo travel memoir  Nothing to Declare , documents her trek to India to get up-close-and-personal with striped felines. 

West with the Night by Beryl Markham

West With the Night  is a gripping tale set in a time when air travel itself was a death-defying act. Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo over the Atlantic, leaving from England and surviving a crash-landing in Nova Scotia in 1936. She was also an adventurer, a horse trainer, an adrenaline-seeker—and as this memoir shows, an excellent writer. 

Falling Off the Map: Some Lonely Places of The World by Pico Iyer

Pico Iyer is one of the most acclaimed and prolific travel writers working today. Whether he's documenting trips to  Bombay or Japan , Iyer's observations are sharp. But  Falling Off the Map  has a special appeal: It's a humorous tour through some of the world's most remote places, which you may never see otherwise. 

Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Not Visited and Never Will by Judith Schalansky

Reading a book about travel is, indeed, a journey—but one of the mind. Cartographer Judith Schalansky's  Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands   pairs gorgeous illustrations to accompany each poetic description of a far-off island.

Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America by Candacy Taylor

For Black motorists in the 20th century United States, taking a road trip was a dangerous proposition. Many businesses were closed to Black guests, while towns were hostile to Black visitors. Published between 1936 and 1966, the Green Book was a guide to friendly businesses throughout the country—and was an essential part of any road trip.  The Overground Railroad uses the lens of travel to tell a story about being Black in America. 

36 Hours: USA & Canada

This coffee table book will fuel your wanderlust, and may eventually lead to some weekend getaways. A compilation of the  New York  Times '  36 Hours column , the book gives off-the-beaten-path itineraries for short trips for cities around North America. You can also check out the Europe or world editions.  

Eurydice Street: A Place In Athens by Sofka Zinovieff

Sofka Zinovieff, a Brit, moves to her husband's native Athens to raise their two daughters. From her vantage point between cultures, Zinovieff can observe Greek customs as she participates in them.  Eurydice Street  is the honest and vivid portrait of life in modern Athens you may be missing on that tour of the Acropolis. 

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

With this memoir and Oprah's Book Club pick , Cheryl Strayed singlehandedly changed many people's associations of the word "wild." Now, when people say "wild," they picture Strayed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail after her life fell apart, and walking her way to wholeness. 

Footsteps: From Ferrante's Naples to Hammett's San Francisco, Literary Pilgrimages Around the World

Footsteps   is an anthology for bibliophiles and adventure-seekers alike. In each essay, a different writer explores their own relationship to a place—like L.M. Montgomery’s Prince Edward Island, and Elena Ferrante's Naples. 

The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

The title says it all. Every two-page spread in  The Travel Book  is devoted to a different country. Part reference guide, part color-saturated coffee table book,  The Travel Book  makes for a gift that will be revisited. 

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Elena Nicolaou is the former culture editor at Oprah Daily. 

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As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

“He’s a 20-year-old troubadour wandering through Spain, playing his fiddle for supper, enjoying the romance of it, and just in love with the freedom, with the road under his feet. And he just happens to walk into one of the most devastating civil wars of the 20th century. The sheer exuberance of youth comes over in the book, and his vivid description of the landscape—the prose feels as fresh and youthful as the day it was written. It’s like poetry to me.” Gail Simmons , Travel Writer

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The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

“Oxiana is a coinage of his, and it doesn’t geographically specifically exist. It was a way of saying Persia (as it was to him) and Afghanistan. Byron’s journey starts in Venice and ends in what is now Pakistan. He went there in 1933-34, not long before he died in World War II, drowned when his ship was torpedoed. Although the book is terrifically chauvinistic – he’s appalling when he writes about the local people, almost always without sympathy and sometimes with extreme colonial arrogance – it’s full of wonderful descriptions.” Colin Thubron , Travel Writer

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The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

“I couldn’t not include him. His editor Ibn Juzayy says towards the end of the book that Ibn Battutah is “the traveller of the Arabs and if anyone says he is a traveller of this ummah (Islamic community), he would not be wrong”. That actually stands today. In a sense he hasn’t been bettered since that time (the 14th century). The complete diversity of the Muslim world was put on the axis of a book by Ibn Battutah. Nobody afterwards could really do better. He is the traveller of the Islamic world.” Tim Mackintosh-Smith , Travel Writer

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The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

“It’s a short, slim book, but it gives us more than most major books I’ve read on mountain landscapes and particularly the Cairngorms. It is spiritual, it’s emotional. There’s so much light in it. It dazzled me. And it still does when I re-read it, which I do often.” Annie Worsley , Memoirist

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A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

“ A Time of Gifts is like a Beaujolais Nouveau—very youthful and fresh. Leigh Fermor was from an upper-middle-class background. He had letters of introduction to some of the finest aristocratic houses in Europe. His is an interesting take on Europe on the eve of the disruption of World War Two. Reading these books now is like reading history—this is how Europe was pre-1939.” Gail Simmons , Travel Writer

Browse book recommendations:

  • Best Travel Writing of 2023: The Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year

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Travel books are a popular genre in the 21st century, combining personal observations and emotions with detailed descriptions and journeys through interesting places. In English, Mary Wollstonecraft was a pioneer, writing about her trip to Scandinavia in 18th century in a way that was quite unusual for the time, as our interview with Emily Thomas about the philosophy of travel makes clear.

Arabic authors are also very important in the travel writing genre. Islam has a rich tradition of travelling to gain knowledge, and it's no surprise we have not one but two interviews on travelling in the Muslim world.

We also have reading recommendations from contemporary travel writers, including Paul Theroux,   Colin Thubron and Sara Wheeler. Books that influenced Bruce Chatwin, author of In Patagonia and The Songlines, are recommended by his biographer.

(For books about specific countries—not necessarily travel writing—please look at our 'world' section where books are organized by country ).

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards , recommended by Cal Flyn

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - In The Shadow of the Mountain by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

In The Shadow of the Mountain by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China by Erika Fatland, translated by Kari Dickson

High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China by Erika Fatland, translated by Kari Dickson

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia by Shafik Meghji

Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia by Shafik Meghji

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East by Rebecca Lowe

The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East by Rebecca Lowe

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - The Po: An Elegy for Italy's Longest River by Tobias Jones

The Po: An Elegy for Italy's Longest River by Tobias Jones

Every year, Stanfords , the best travel bookshop in the world (in our view), sponsors the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, with travel writers and journalists judging the best travel book in a number of categories. Here Cal Flyn , our deputy editor, takes us through the eight books shortlisted for the 2023 'Travel Book of the Year' award, taking us from Bolivia to Singapore via Europe, the Middle East and the top of Mt. Everest.

The Best Travel Books of 2023: The Stanford Travel Writing Awards - In The Shadow of the Mountain by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

Every year, Stanfords , the best travel bookshop in the world (in our view), sponsors the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, with travel writers and journalists judging the best travel book in a number of categories. Here Cal Flyn, our deputy editor, takes us through the eight books shortlisted for the 2023 ‘Travel Book of the Year’ award, taking us from Bolivia to Singapore via Europe, the Middle East and the top of Mt. Everest.

The Best Travel Books , recommended by Paul Theroux

The Best Travel Books - The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

The Best Travel Books - Following the Equator by Mark Twain

Following the Equator by Mark Twain

The Best Travel Books - The West Indies and the Spanish Main by Anthony Trollope

The West Indies and the Spanish Main by Anthony Trollope

The Best Travel Books - Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi

Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi

The Best Travel Books - An Area of Darkness: A Discovery of India by V.S. Naipaul

An Area of Darkness: A Discovery of India by V.S. Naipaul

Travel is a leap in the dark, says Paul Theroux and one that will leave you a different person at the other end. He recommends five travel books that inspired him, from Mark Twain at sea to VS Naipaul in India

The Best Travel Books - The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

The Best Books by Adventurers , recommended by Alastair Humphreys

The Best Books by Adventurers - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

No Picnic on Mount Kenya by Felice Benuzzi

The Best Books by Adventurers - Tracks by Robyn Davidson

Tracks by Robyn Davidson

The Best Books by Adventurers - Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins

Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins

The Best Books by Adventurers - Paddling North by Audrey Sutherland

Paddling North by Audrey Sutherland

One morning in early June, Laurie Lee said goodbye to his mum at the garden gate and went off on an adventure. Is now the moment for you to do the same? Bestselling author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys recommends five books written by adventurers that can't fail but inspire you to 'go simple, go solo, go now.'

The Best Books by Adventurers - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

One morning in early June, Laurie Lee said goodbye to his mum at the garden gate and went off on an adventure. Is now the moment for you to do the same? Bestselling author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys recommends five books written by adventurers that can’t fail but inspire you to ‘go simple, go solo, go now.’

The Best Travel Writing , recommended by Colin Thubron

The Best Travel Writing - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

The Way of the World by Nicolas Bouvier

The Best Travel Writing - In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

The Best Travel Writing - A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

The much-travelled author Colin Thubron reflects on more than 40 years of writing about other cultures, and shares his own favourite travel reading with us

The Best Travel Writing - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel , recommended by Emily Thomas

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite by Marjorie Hope Nicolson

Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite by Marjorie Hope Nicolson

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark by Mary Wollstonecraft

Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark by Mary Wollstonecraft

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - How to Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel by Michele Hutchison (translator) & Pierre Bayard

How to Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel by Michele Hutchison (translator) & Pierre Bayard

At its best, travel broadens our minds, expands our horizons and allows us to see the world we live in differently. But it has also played an important role in the history of philosophy. Emily Thomas , author of The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad , explores the connections between her two passions—philosophy and travel—at a moment when most of us are unable to leave our houses: perhaps the perfect moment to reflect on travel's significance for human beings.

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite by Marjorie Hope Nicolson

At its best, travel broadens our minds, expands our horizons and allows us to see the world we live in differently. But it has also played an important role in the history of philosophy. Emily Thomas, author of The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad , explores the connections between her two passions—philosophy and travel—at a moment when most of us are unable to leave our houses: perhaps the perfect moment to reflect on travel’s significance for human beings.

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him , recommended by Nicholas Shakespeare

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - Journey to Armenia by Osip Mandelstam

Journey to Armenia by Osip Mandelstam

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - Planet and Glow-worm by Edith Sitwell

Planet and Glow-worm by Edith Sitwell

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - The Rings of Saturn by W.G Sebald

The Rings of Saturn by W.G Sebald

With his books In Patagonia and The Songlines , Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989) reinvented travel literature. Nicholas Shakespeare , his biographer, lifts the lid on a complex life and selects five books that influenced Chatwin's work.

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

With his books In Patagonia and The Songlines , Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989) reinvented travel literature. Nicholas Shakespeare, his biographer, lifts the lid on a complex life and selects five books that influenced Chatwin’s work.

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature , recommended by Cat Barton

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Quiet American by Graham Greene

The Quiet American by Graham Greene

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - Selected Poems by James Fenton

Selected Poems by James Fenton

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Gate by François Bizot

The Gate by François Bizot

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - Stay Alive, My Son by Pin Yathay

Stay Alive, My Son by Pin Yathay

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Beach by Alex Garland

The Beach by Alex Garland

The Bureau Chief for the Agence France Presse in Dhaka discusses South East Asian travel literature. Particularly interesting on Cambodia. Further recommended reading from Graham Greene and James Fenton

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Quiet American by Graham Greene

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World , recommended by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

A Year Amongst the Persians by Edward G Browne

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Sindbad Voyage by Tim Severin

The Sindbad Voyage by Tim Severin

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - Night and Horses and the Desert by Robert Irwin (editor)

Night and Horses and the Desert by Robert Irwin (editor)

Author and Arabist Tim Mackintosh-Smith tells us about the rich tradition in Islam of travelling to gain knowledge, and directs us towards some of those, both Western and Arab, who’ve inspired with their tales of life on the road.

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

The Best Hiking Memoirs , recommended by Gail Simmons

The Best Hiking Memoirs - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

The Salt Path: A Memoir by Raynor Winn

Accounts of journeys on foot capture the imagination; partly this is a function of the satisfaction of following a linear journey from start to finish, and partly it is a quality inherent to walking itself—a freeing of the mind. Gail Simmons , who follows an old English pilgrimage route in her book Between the Chalk and the Sea , selects five hiking memoirs that celebrate the liberation that comes from putting one foot after another.

The Best Hiking Memoirs - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

Accounts of journeys on foot capture the imagination; partly this is a function of the satisfaction of following a linear journey from start to finish, and partly it is a quality inherent to walking itself—a freeing of the mind. Gail Simmons, who follows an old English pilgrimage route in her book Between the Chalk and the Sea , selects five hiking memoirs that celebrate the liberation that comes from putting one foot after another.

The best books on Hong Kong , recommended by Jason Ng

The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong by Jan Morris

Hong Kong by Jan Morris

The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city by Feng Chi-shun

Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city by Feng Chi-shun

The best books on Hong Kong - Hotel China by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

Hotel China by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

The best books on Hong Kong - The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong by Pete Spurrier

The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong by Pete Spurrier

The best books on Hong Kong - Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong by Gordon Mathews

Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong by Gordon Mathews

In 2014 Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Protests' made news around the world. But will continuing protests in Hong Kong lead to advances in democracy or crackdowns by Beijing? Jason Ng , lawyer and author of Umbrellas in Bloom , chooses five of the best books for understanding China's 'foster child' city.

The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong by Jan Morris

In 2014 Hong Kong’s ‘Umbrella Protests’ made news around the world. But will continuing protests in Hong Kong lead to advances in democracy or crackdowns by Beijing? Jason Ng, lawyer and author of Umbrellas in Bloom , chooses five of the best books for understanding China’s ‘foster child’ city.

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

Five Books participates in the Amazon Associate program and earns money from qualifying purchases.

© Five Books 2024

The Best Books of 2023

A Smithsonian magazine special report

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2023

Take a trip without leaving home with these adventurous reads from this year

Laura Kiniry

Laura Kiniry

Travel Correspondent

BookList-2023-Travel.jpg

It’s often said that travel is all about the journey, whether it’s planning a remote island holiday or setting out on the adventure of a lifetime across the Arctic Ocean. But it can be almost as thrilling to roam the world from the comfort of our homes. Just take our pick of 2023 travel books, which include everything from humor-fueled essay collections and thought-provoking narratives to tomes brimming with full-page colorful photographs and tips on finding the most welcoming LGBTQ+ spots around the globe. They all share the uncanny ability to transport readers through time and space without ever having to open the front door.

Whether it’s a deep delve into a Balkan landscape of healing plants and foraging, or a more than 2,000-mile road trip through America’s racial history, here are ten travel books that are more than worthy of this year’s holiday wish lists.

Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance by Alvin Hall

From 1936 to 1967, the Green Book served as an annual travel guide for African Americans, helping them to identify welcoming hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other businesses across the United States during the Jim Crow era. Compiled by Black New York City postman Victor Hugo Green , this essential reference publication included places like Manhattan’s Hotel Theresa , once considered the “Waldorf of Harlem,” and the Moulin Rouge Hotel in Las Vegas, frequented by celebrities like Harry Belafonte and Ella Fitzgerald during its five-month stint in 1955.

Award-winning broadcaster Alvin Hall first learned about the Green Book in 2015, and he was immediately intrigued. Several years later, he and a friend, activist Janée Woods Weber , set out on a 2,000-plus-mile cross-country road trip from Detroit to New Orleans, visiting many of the establishments once featured in the guide’s pages. (Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has a nearly complete collection of the Green Book , which Hall utilized.) Along the way, Hall also gathered memories from some of the guide’s last surviving users.

The result, Driving the Green Book: a Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance , is a poignant 288-page journey along America’s open roads, delving into the country’s racial past, detailing the Green Book ’s life-saving history and bringing it all together in one remarkable read.

Preview thumbnail for 'Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance

Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance

Join award-winning broadcaster Alvin Hall on a journey through America’s haunted racial past, with the legendary Green Book as your guide.

The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-Mile Horseback Journey Into the Old West by Will Grant

In 2019, American journalist Will Grant embarked on a five-month, 2,000 mile journey on horseback from Missouri to California. His goal: to follow the historic route of the Pony Express , a legendary frontier mail system operating between April 1860 and October 1861, which used a series of horse-mounted riders and relay stations to deliver mail from one end to the other in just ten days. Although the express service went bankrupt after only 18 months, it remains an iconic symbol of America’s Old West.

Grant chronicles his 142-day adventure in The Last Ride of the Pony Express , a first-person narrative describing his trip across the Great Plains of Nebraska and the sagebrush steppe of Wyoming in the company of his two horses, Badger and Chicken Fry. While Grant reflects on the West’s modernization over time, it’s his vivid descriptions of the communities and local residents—including ranchers, farmers and migrant sheep herders—along the way that make the book a real page-turner.

Preview thumbnail for 'The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West

The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West

The Last Ride of the Pony Express is a tale of adventure by a horseman who defies most modern conveniences, and is an unforgettable narrative that will forever change how you see the West, the Pony Express, and America as a whole.

Unforgettable Journeys Europe: Discover the Joys of Slow Travel

The latest in the Unforgettable Journeys series by DK Eyewitness, a publisher of nonfiction books known for its visual travel guides, Unforgettable Journeys Europe highlights the notion that travel really is all about the “getting there.” This inspirational tome details 150 of Europe’s best slow adventures, such as kayaking through Lithuania and crossing the Arctic Circle by train.

The bucket list is organized by modes of transportation, with sections titled “By Bike” and “By Rail,” for example. Illustrations, photos, maps and plenty of practical information (including start and end points for trails, difficulty ratings and website links) are then spread throughout the text, making the book as much colorful reference as it is inspiring read. In the “On Foot” chapter, there’s a description of Scotland’s Fife Pilgrim Way , a 56-mile trek along an ancient pilgrim route with cathedral and countryside views. Along with details on what to see during the multiday hike, the book features a selection of highlighted tips, like what to do (pick wild berries while passing through Clatto Reservoir ) and how to splurge (dinner and an overnight stay at the cozy, Michelin-starred Peat Inn ) en route.

Preview thumbnail for 'Unforgettable Journeys Europe: Discover the Joys of Slow Travel (Dk Eyewitness)

Unforgettable Journeys Europe: Discover the Joys of Slow Travel (Dk Eyewitness)

Inspirational travel book covering 150 of Europe's most incredible journeys, including routes on foot and by bike, road, rail and water.

Elixir: In the Valley at the End of Time by Kapka Kassabova

After a decade of living in the Scottish Highlands, native Bulgarian Kapka Kassabova returned to her roots in southwestern Bulgaria’s remote Mesta Valley, a rural region known for its array of wild crops and their vast medicinal properties. Over several seasons (Kassabova’s move occurred at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic), the poet and writer set out to study the deep relationship between the area’s people and plants, as well as with the land itself. Her resulting text—with chapters like “Pine Syrup,” “Honey Sellers” and “Shepherd’s Superfood”—is an autobiographical exploration of one of the globe’s lesser-known corners, one brimming with forages, healers and a wealth of folk traditions.

“ Elixir is the vibrant, beautiful story of a singular, remarkable place,” writes Foreword book reviewer Catherine Thureson. “It issues a call to reclaim the physical, emotional and spiritual connection between humanity and the natural world.”

Preview thumbnail for 'Elixir: In the Valley at the End of Time

Elixir: In the Valley at the End of Time

In Elixir , in a wild river valley and amid the three mountains that define it, Kapka Kassabova seeks out the deep connection between people, plants, and place.

The Life Cycle by Kate Rawles

British writer and cyclist Kate Rawles has a penchant for raising awareness about environmental challenges through her own adventures—and inspiring action in the process. In 2006, Rawles cycled 4,553 miles from Texas to Alaska , interviewing Americans about climate change along the way. Her latest endeavor—an 8,288-mile, 13-month journey across the length of the Andes Mountains on a self-built bamboo bicycle she nicknamed “Woody”—is the basis for her new book, The Life Cycle .

During this largely solo endeavor in 2017 and 2018, the author crossed some of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems, including South America’s Atacama Desert and the Bolivian salt flats. Simultaneously, she found herself witnessing the devastating effects of extreme biodiversity loss caused by industries such as logging and gold mining, and met with activists and communities working to regenerate these habitats—sharing their concerns and insight throughout the narrative.

Preview thumbnail for 'The Life Cycle: 8,000 Miles in the Andes by Bamboo Bike

The Life Cycle: 8,000 Miles in the Andes by Bamboo Bike

Pedalling hard for thirteen months, eco adventurer Kate Rawles cycled the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself. The Life Cycle charts her mission to find out why biodiversity is so important, what's happening to it, and what can be done to protect it.

Unravelling the Silk Road by Chris Aslan

An extremely well-researched story of three ancient trade routes that helped define a continent, Chris Aslan’s Unravelling the Silk Road “merges trauma with textiles to track the past and present experiences of the people of Central Asia,” writes author Clare Hunter . He explores the roles played by wool, a textile used by the region’s nomads for both yurts and clothing; silk, a commodity that was once more valuable than gold; and cotton, the cause of Russian and then Soviet colonization, since it provided cheap material for the global superpower.

Turkish-born Aslan interweaves his own personal experiences (the author once picked cotton with locals and worked with nomadic yak herders in Central Asia’s Pamir Mountains) with the history of each route and its impact on the lives of local residents ​​ —as well as the region itself. Aslan also examines how political and cultural changes are affecting new trade routes and the people who depend on them.

Preview thumbnail for 'Unravelling the Silk Road: Travels and Textiles in Central Asia

Unravelling the Silk Road: Travels and Textiles in Central Asia

Veteran traveler and textile expert Chris Aslan explores the Silk, Wool and Cotton Roads of Central Asia.

The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise​​ by Pico Iyer

British-born essayist and acclaimed writer Pico Iyer is no stranger to travel journalism. The author—whose childhood was divided among English, Indian and U.S. cultures—is known for works like 1989’s Video Night in Kathmandu , a stark look at modern Asia, and The Global Soul , a 2001 collection of essays on finding home in a world of international airports and shopping malls. For more than 40 years, Iyer has traveled the globe, reflecting on the planet and our role within it.

“After years of travel, I’d begun to wonder what kind of paradise can ever be found in a world of unceasing conflict,” writes Iyer in his latest book, The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise , “and whether the very search for it might not simply aggravate our differences.” The result is a retrospective look at his own travels and encounters—from North Korea’s capital city of Pyongyang to Jerusalem’s Ethiopian chapels—through the idea of “paradise,” what it means and whether it exists.

Preview thumbnail for 'The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise

The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise

Traveling from Iran to North Korea, from the Dalai Lama’s Himalayas to the ghostly temples of Japan, Pico Iyer brings together a lifetime of explorations to upend our ideas of utopia and ask how we might find peace in the midst of difficulty and suffering.

The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers by Maartje Hensen

Big, bold and colorful, The Pride Atlas is a valuable resource for LGBTQ+ folks and their allies, as well as a perfect coffee table topper. Compiled by queer author and photographer Maartje Hensen , its 400 pages are brimming with eye-catching photos and practical information, such as websites like Meetup and Couchsurfing that are useful for connecting with similarly minded locals and travelers, and resources regarding laws and cultural attitudes worldwide.

At the heart of the book are 500 destinations from around the globe, each one of them highlighting a way of engaging with LGBTQ+ culture. You’ll find drag shows, Pride parades, campsites, microbrew pubs and other places, from San Francisco’s Transgender District to Haircuts for Anyone , an inclusive and affirmative hair salon in Montreal that charges by sliding scale.

“Hopefully,” writes Hensen, “ The Pride Atlas expands your horizons and inspires you to go out into the world, to (un)learn from others … because, like gender, the world doesn’t fit into binary.” Indeed.

Preview thumbnail for 'The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers

The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers

Combining immersive photography with expertly researched travel writing, this is the ultimate guidebook for LGBTQ+ travelers—whether you're planning your next getaway, daydreaming from the comfort of your armchair, or seeking to learn about queer culture in other parts of the world.

Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib

An enlightening and entertaining debut essay collection by a U.S.-based Indian Muslim author, Airplane Mode brings a unique and under-represented perspective to the world of travel. Shahnaz Habib approaches such topics as the origins of passports, colonial modes of thinking about travel—like safaris and pilgrimages—and terms like “pseudiscovery,” which she uses to describe an explorer’s claim of discovering something that’s existed for thousands of years, with both wit and curiosity, incorporating her own personal narratives to boot.

Perhaps Annabel Abbs, author of Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women , says it best in her praise for Airplane Mode, which has been long-listed for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence . She calls it “a fascinating, wide-ranging and insightful travelogue that poses some of the biggest questions of all: Who gets to travel, and what is it that makes us so keen to travel in the first place?”

Preview thumbnail for 'Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel

Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel

This witty personal and cultural history of travel from the perspective of a Third World-raised woman of color, Airplane Mode , asks: what does it mean to be a joyous traveler when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change?

Oh My Mother!: A Memoir in Nine Adventures by Connie Wang

The closest Chinese expression to “Oh, my god” is wode ma ya , which literally translates to “Oh, my mother.” It’s a declaration of astonishment, as well as the title for journalist Connie Wang ’s humorous and heartfelt book, Oh My Mother!: A Memoir in Nine Adventures . Wang details the complicated relationship between herself and her stubborn and “wildly opinionated” mother, Qing Li, across nine essays, taking readers from time-share properties in Cancun and Aruba to a Magic Mike strip show in Las Vegas. “This is our memoir—a long personal essay, if you will—and it was forged through shared fact-checking,” Wang writes in the book. “Qing was the first person to read each chapter as it was written, and she is this book’s first editor.” According to Kirkus Reviews , the author “drives to the heart of how a daughter comes to know her mother as someone with a life beyond motherhood.”

Preview thumbnail for 'Oh My Mother!: A Memoir in Nine Adventures

Oh My Mother!: A Memoir in Nine Adventures

A dazzling mother-daughter adventure around the world in pursuit of self-discovery, a family reckoning, and Asian American defiance

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Laura Kiniry

Laura Kiniry | READ MORE

Laura Kiniry is a San Francisco-based freelance writer specializing in food, drink, and travel. She contributes to a variety of outlets including American Way , O-The Oprah Magazine , BBC.com , and numerous AAA pubs.

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Literary Voyage

11 Best Books by Travel Bloggers

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Dreaming of travel? Check out these books by travel bloggers. Get inspired and learn practical travel advice from these expert travelers!

For many years I have loved reading travel blogs. I don’t remember when I first found out they existed. But it was sometime during college that I came across  Adventurous Kate  and got inspired by her story of quitting her job at age twenty-six to travel the world.

I became obsessed with reading travel blogs in college while working at internships where I would count down the hours until I left. It became a routine during my lunch hour to read travel blogs and dream of the day when I could do the same thing.

And eventually, it happened to me too. I finally started my own blog, which turned into running several successful blogs and earning enough money that I could quit my corporate job at twenty-five to travel for a year.

That would have NEVER happened for me if I hadn’t come across travel blogs and gotten the inspiration. Both from travel stories and practical how-to guides that let me know it was possible.

While I love reading blogs themselves, many travel bloggers have also gotten book deals or self-published their own books.

So if you are looking to curl up with a good travel book that will inspire your wanderlust, check out these excellent books written by travel bloggers.

You’ll find a mix of travel memoirs and useful guides that will help you travel more.

These are the best books by travel bloggers to add to your reading list:

Best Books by Travel Bloggers

how not to travel the world

How Not to Travel the World by Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is the blogger behind Never Ending Footsteps . After finishing school, she decided to abandon her plans of becoming a physicist, and embark on a trip around the world instead.

A self-proclaimed “disaster-prone backpacker” she has had her fair share of misadventures along the way. Her memoir chronicles some of the funniest travel mishaps from her years on the road.

Buy on Amazon | View in Goodreads

ten years a nomad

Ten Years a Nomad by Matt Kepnes

Matt runs the popular travel blog Nomadic Matt where he shares practical travel advice and stories from his journeys around the world with millions of readers each month.

After traveling more than 500,000 miles, staying in 1,000 hostels, and visiting 90 different countries, he returned home and wrote this book about his favorite stories and memories from a decade of travel.

He also wrote the helpful guide  How to Travel the World on $50 a Day .

a thousand new beginnings

A Thousand New Beginnings by Kristin Addis

Kristin is the founder of  Be My Travel Muse  which is a travel blog for solo female travelers. Her memoir chronicles her decision to leave her comfortable life, dependable job, and boyfriend at age twenty-six in order to embark on a solo journey around Southeast Asia.

love with a chance of drowning

Love With a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

Travel blogger Torre DeRoche has a website called  Fearful Adventurer  that’s all about pushing past fear, worry, and anxiety in order to travel.

Her book is about falling in love with an Argentinean traveler who’s about to embark on a sailboat voyage around the world. She spontaneously joins him on the adventure of a lifetime, despite her intense fear of deep water.

She is also the author of  The Worrier’s Guide to the End of the World .

all over the place

All Over the Place by Geraldine DeRuiter

After getting laid off from her copywriting job, Geraldine took a leap and started traveling, leading to the creation of her blog  The Everywhereist . 

Her memoir goes more in-depth into the five years she spent traveling the world after losing her job. Along the way, she built a new career, had many adventures, and learned plenty of life lessons.

the solo female travel book

The Solo Female Travel Book by Jen Ruiz

Jen Ruiz created Jen on a Jet Plane  which is a travel blog for solo female travelers. A former attorney, she is now a full-time traveler and blogger helping other women see the world safely and confidently. Her book is a guide for women to help them prepare for their first solo trip.

Jen has also written two other books for travelers:

  • The Affordable Flight Guide: How to Find Cheap Airline Tickets
  • You Need a Vacation! How to Travel More with a Full-Time Job

the carry on traveller

The Carry-On Traveller by Erin McNeaney

Erin is the blogger behind  Never Ending Voyage  which she runs with her husband. Together, they sold all their belongings and became full-time travelers. After more than a decade of travel, they’ve mastered the art of living out of a small suitcase.

Erin’s book is a practical guide on how to pack light and travel with just a carry-on suitcase. Perfect for chronic over-packers!

how to travel the world on 10 a day

How to Travel the World on $10 a Day by Will Hatton

Will is an extreme budget traveler who founded the blog  The Broke Backpacker  to help others see the world cheaply. His book offers a practical guide to traveling the world on a low budget, including how to find cheap accommodation and extend your travels by working and volunteering.

roaming america 1

Roaming America by Renee Hahnel

Perfect for all the national park enthusiasts out there, this coffee table book from travel blogger Renee of Renee Roaming contains gorgeous photographs of America’s natural beauty. These beautiful photos will have you planning a trip to the national parks ASAP.

Uncover more beautiful travel coffee table books .

wanderlust 1

#wanderlust by Sabina Trojanova

Another travel coffee table book on this list, this beautiful centerpiece was created by solo travel blogger Sabina from Girl vs. Globe .

Inside the book, you will find more than 500 full-page gorgeous photos that will transport you around the world without leaving home.

how to quit your job travel

How to Quit Your Job and Travel by Lia Garcia

The final entry on this list comes from Lia Garcia, the founder of  Practical Wanderlust .

This book shares the practical knowledge you need to save money to quit your job and travel long-term. It also includes anecdotes from Lia’s own travels, including the year-long honeymoon she took with her husband Jeremy after they got married when she first started her travel blog.

What Are Some Of Your Favorite Books by Travel Bloggers

Have you read any of these books by travel bloggers? Do you have any favorite books from bloggers that I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

More Great Travel Books

Are you looking for even more travel books to inspire your sense of adventure and transport you to faraway places without leaving the comfort of home?

Here are some more recommendations for great travel books to pick up next:

  • Brilliant Travel Memoirs by Women
  • Best Travel Adventure Books
  • Beautiful Travel Coffee Table Books

And if you are interested in more to  read from countries across the globe , I have plenty of suggestions for the following destinations:

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The Best Travel Books of the Year

travel by book

A spiritual trek to the Himalayas, a bike ride through Bolivia’s salt flats, and a hilarious class trip to London led by a beleaguered English professor — it’s all covered in our favorite travel books from 2023. Among them are historical accounts, personal memoirs, and two novels sure to make you laugh out loud. Bring them along as you hit the road for holiday travel, or, if you’re hanging at home, let them inspire your next escape.    

“ Call You When I Land: A Memoir ” by Nikki Vargas

travel by book

It’s just two weeks before her wedding and Nikki Vargas finds herself — not bouncing from dress fittings to hair trials or putting the finishing touches on a seating chart — but standing in Argentina’s Iguazú National Park yelling “I’m not in love!” for only a few startled capuchin monkeys to hear. In this memoir, written by a true travel lover, Vargas darts around the world questioning what she wants from her love life (Marriage? Kids? White picket fences?) as well as what she dreams of for her career as a 20-something New Yorker. Buy it now .

“ Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance ” by Alvin Hall 

travel by book

If you saw the 2018 movie “Green Book” or watched 2020’s “Lovecraft Country” on HBO, you’re somewhat familiar with the guidebook that steered Black roadtrippers toward relatively safe gas stations, shops, and lodges in Jim Crow-era America. Now, dive even deeper into the legendary guides as Alvin Hall drives from New York to Detroit to New Orleans, visiting motels, restaurants, and stores mentioned in the original “Green Book,” as well as visiting cultural landmarks, like theaters where Duke Ellington and Lena Horne performed. Buy it now.

“ The Dog of the North ” by Elizabeth McKenzie 

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This novel proves that it’s possible to catch a case of wanderlust from fiction (maybe minus some of the hijinks and trips to the hospital though). The book follows main character Penny Rush, who is broke, jobless, and fresh out of a marriage, as she heads from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara to care for her ailing and eccentric grandma who has a bad habit of keeping science experiments in her refrigerator. There’s a road trip in an old van with a donkey-shaped piñata, a trip to Australia, a family mystery, and lessons in loss and healing. Buy it now .    

“ Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon ” by Melissa L. Sevigny

travel by book

When botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter — accompanied by an expedition leader, a zoologist, and two beginner boatmen — set out to run the Colorado River in the summer of 1938, they were told they’d never make it out alive. But the adventurous duo was determined to take on the rushing waters and intimidating boulders of one of the most dangerous rivers in the world. They were also intent on detailing the plant life growing along the Grand Canyon — the first to do so. Here, science journalist Melissa L. Sevigny chronicles their intrepid 43-day journey, including diary entries and letters written by the women themselves. Buy it now .

“ Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel ” by Shahnaz Habib

travel by book

Mixing cultural history with personal accounts, Shahnaz Habib’s writing is like a witty magnifying glass, giving us a closer look at elements of travel that many of us take for granted — like guidebooks and passports. In doing so, she offers up bigger questions about who gets to travel and who gets to write about their experiences. Born in Kozhikode, India, Habib weaves in tales of family trips across continents and the complexities of globetrotting as a non-white immigrant. Buy it now.

“ The Life Cycle: 8,000 Miles in the Andes by Bamboo Bike ” by Kate Rawles

travel by book

Riding a bamboo bicycle she built herself (and lovingly named Woody), Kate Rawles travels 8,000 miles along South America’s Andes Mountains over the course of 13 months. In “The Life Cycle,” she documents the full adventure, taking in rainforests, deserts, and salt flats while simultaneously exploring the most dire threats to the continent’s astonishing biodiversity. Even if this book doesn’t have you booking a biking excursion or a vacation in Peru, it may inspire your own journey into environmental activism. Buy it now.

“ The English Experience ” by Julie Schumacher

travel by book

Anyone who has studied abroad or chaperoned a class trip will appreciate “The English Experience,” which follows perpetually down-on-his-luck Professor Jason Fitger as he reluctantly leads 11 undergrads on Payne University’s annual trip to England. Among the travelers, there’s a student who mistakenly thinks he’s headed to Jamaica, a young woman who has never been away from her cat, and a claustrophobe with a record. This is the third book in Schumacher’s Dear Committee Trilogy Series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone read. Buy it now.

“ The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise ” by Pico Iyer

travel by book

After decades of writing about travel for top magazines and newspapers, author Pico Iyer digs deeper than hotel recommendations and sightseeing tips, instead tackling ideas of paradise — can it be experienced here on earth or only in the afterlife? This spiritual journey, told through a series of connected essays, takes Iyer to religious shrines, natural wonders, and cultural monuments in Iran, India, Japan, and Sri Lanka, among other destinations, to explore ideas of paradise through various lenses. Such a heavy topic is in good hands with a guy who has traveled with the Dalai Lama numerous times.  Buy it now.

BONUS BOOK BY OUR FOUNDER:

"Smart Startups" by James H. Sherman and Catalina Daniels

travel by book

For those who prefer to be inspired by people over places, we’ve got just the book for you. ShermansTravel’s very own founder, James H. Sherman, interviewed 18 fellow Harvard Business School graduates who’ve founded successful companies, from Blue Apron to Rent the Runway, to uncover their best advice. From sharing surprising lessons for success and common pitfalls to avoid, "Smart Startups" — a riveting read that features intellectual powerhouses having casual conversations — is designed to help entrepreneurs increase their odds of succeeding. Buy it now .

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Are vacation packages worth it.

Vacation packages can save a lot on your 2024 vacation, as discounts may be available when booking multiple aspects of your vacation at once, such as the hotel and the flight. Flights and hotel packages can include a car rental at your destination. Check our package deal today on Expedia!

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How to choose your vacation package?

To find the best vacation package, you'll need to consider the type of vacation you're looking to enjoy and the destination. Using the site's search function, you can find a wide variety of packages available for your chosen vacation location, while search filters can narrow down options based on vacation type. Browse our deals now.

How to find cheap vacation packages?

If you're looking to save, be sure to set filters for any budget limitations you may have in your search. Additionally, you can sort by price to automatically put the cheapest options first in your search results. Weekend getaway packages can be relatively inexpensive as well if you are looking for cheap getaways. 

How to vacation on a budget?

Budget-friendly travel is easy when you book with Expedia, as we can help you keep prices low via search filters, but that's not all. There are general trends to keep in mind regarding prices, such as travel packages generally being cheaper during the off-season of your vacation destination. Additionally, the higher the quality amenities you opt for, the higher the price typically is.

How to get great vacation deals?

Vacation deals are common with Expedia, as we offer plenty of discounts on great packages, with packages already being a deal compared to booking hotels and flights separately.

How to find last-minute vacation deals?

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Booking a Hawaii vacation package is especially popular with all sorts of travelers, whether it's families or couples, and Disney World packages have much to offer for families. Consider the kind of vacation you're looking for to determine the perfect destination. 

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Top vacation spots include cheap Caribbean vacations and European vacation packages . With rich culture, history, and stunning natural beauty, a vacation package to these destinations can provide an unforgettable adventure. 

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Staying in the US still offers easy access to great vacation places with Vegas packages and a Grand Canyon vacation being popular choices among other options. Whether you’re seeking the thrills of the Vegas Strip or the majestic views of the Grand Canyon, browse your options today.  

Where to go on vacation on a budget?

Cheap vacation ideas can still take you to a variety of great cheap vacation destinations, including Yellowstone vacations and Glacier National Park vacations . Parks and outdoor experiences tend to be free, so national park vacations are excellent for a budget-friendly trip. 

What are some great all-inclusive vacation packages?

All-inclusive vacations to the Bahamas and all-inclusive vacations to Cancun are some of the best options available, putting you in a Caribbean paradise. However, all-inclusive vacations are more varied than you might think, with worldwide options. 

What are the best destinations for a family vacation?

Traveling with kids means you'll need to find fun for the whole family, and Orlando vacation packages can put you and your little ones in the world's theme park capital. Of course, a vacation package to Anaheim offers a similar experience on the West coast. 

Where should I go on vacation this summer?

If you're looking to embrace the season, head to the beach with a summer vacation package to Destin . Of course, you may be more interested in escaping the heat with something like a vacation package to Vancouver . 

How to find cheap beach vacations?

In your search, you can apply search filters for beach trip packages and sort your results by price to see the cheap vacation options first. With those standards, you can find amazing cheap trips with beach vacation packages like vacation packages to Panama City and vacation packages to Myrtle Beach . 

What are some great couples' vacations?

Traveling with your partner means a more romantic adventure, which is easy when you book vacation packages to Honolulu . However, you can always opt for the classics and get a vacation package to Paris . Even a simple 3-day cheap getaway can be suitable. 

What are the best destinations for a luxury vacation?

One of the best destinations for luxury is a Las Vegas vacation package , as the city was essentially designed to make visitors feel luxurious. Of course, a Lake Tahoe vacation package can be just as fulfilling as a more outdoor-oriented experience. Golf vacations also tend to be quite elegant. 

How to find great Christmas vacation packages?

To find an excellent package for a Christmas vacation, simply put your travel dates into the search and discover what's available. Vacation packages to New York and vacation packages to Chicago are trendy around Christmas. 

Where to get ski vacation packages?

Ski vacation packages are readily available on Expedia, including vacation packages to Aspen , vacation packages to Vail , and packages to other notable ski resorts. Check out the deals now and book your next ski vacation today.  

Can I cancel my vacation package with Expedia?

Yes, you can cancel your vacation package via your itinerary page on Expedia or by contacting customer service. Remember that some packages are fully refundable, but the details vary based on each unique booking. A fully refundable package may depend on how far out from the travel dates you're canceling and what airline you are travelling with.

Why should I book my vacation package with Expedia?

Booking with Expedia makes it easy to plan your entire vacation in advance. Vacation packages with airfare included can also feature a rental car and even activities in some cases, with discounts typically coming with booking more than one aspect of your trip at a time. One Key members will earn  OneKeyCash  with every eligible booking that you can use to save on future eligible bookings. Membership is free, sign up today!

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Eat your way around the world with these 6 food travel books

These travel books take you on a culinary journey around the world, from coastal Italy to the culinary belly of Seoul.

Travel books with a real sense of place are often those you can almost taste. And there’s a tantalising crop of globetrotting food books hitting the shelves this spring. We’ve really enjoyed Cold Kitchen , Caroline Eden’s travel memoir hewn through recipes from as far and wide as Central Asia, Ukraine, the Baltics and Turkey. And Jenny Jefferies’ Islands in a Common Sea , which delves into farming and fishing in countries such as Bhutan, Australia, Nigeria and Argentina, with human stories, recipes and beautiful photography celebrating biodiversity. Along with these tasty titles, here’s our selection of books that will work up your appetite for travel this season.

1. China in Seven Banquets

A ‘flavourful history’ of 500 years of Chinese cuisine via seven storied dinners. Food historian Thomas David DuBois shares his findings from decades of travelling around China, revealing the country’s culinary character through meals including the ‘tail-burning’ banquet of the Tang dynasty, plus insights into food featured in Chinese literature and film, a New Year’s buffet from 1920s Shanghai and a 21st-century delivery menu. Reaktion Books, £18

Korean-born food writer Su Scott returns to her native Seoul to eat her way around the city’s pocha street stalls. Short for pojangmacha (‘covered wagon’), they include everything from a tarpaulin-covered stall to a makeshift bar where snacks are served. It’s a personal take on this lively destination, rendered through vibrant photography and 80 recipes covering classics such as fried chicken and kimchi pancakes. Quadrille, £27

3.   Italian Coastal

Take a culinary tour along Italian shores from Tuscany to Northern Sicily with Amber Guinness. The food writer blends travelogue, memoir and cooking insights, singling out 60 easy-to-make recipes that offer a taste of specific Italian seaside regions — and the stories behind them — including potato and caper salad from the island of Salina and the ultimate Amalfi lemon cream cake. Thames & Hudson, £29.99

4. The Food Adventurers

Professor of food studies and history, David E Bender shows how tourism has shaped our fascination with world cuisines through an examination of travel, from the age of the sailboat to the rise of the jet plane. He looks at how we eat on the road, covering subjects such as Tahitian roast pig in the 1840s, the colonial ‘discoveries’ of fruit like the mangosteen, 1970s hotel restaurants and caviar served on board luxury cruise liners. Reaktion Books, £20

5.   Foodie Places

Travel writer Sarah Baxter and illustrator Amy Grimes serve up a guide to 25 food destinations, uncovering local delicacies like pastries handmade by nuns in Portugal, vegan curries in Southern India — where plant-based dishes have been offered to gods and pilgrims for centuries — and paella from its Spanish birthplace in Valencia. Plus, visits to contemporary food capitals Montreal, Osaka and Melbourne, famed for global dishes and fusion food. White Lion Publishing, £14.99

6.   At the Table in Paris

Try out the recipes served in Paris’s best bistros, cafes and restaurants in this culinary tour that takes in classic spots along the Seine as well as more local hangouts in hip ’hoods like Belleville. Divided into meals of the day, it includes 40 recipes typically enjoyed in France, including moules frites, coq au vin and creme brulee, plus plenty of practical tips on food shops, markets and more. Hardie Grant, £20

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Related Topics

  • FOOD HISTORY
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The 45 Must-Read Books of Spring 2024

Buzzy novels, compulsively readable non-fiction, and a few deliciously guilty pleasures.

spring 2024 books

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

This season, you have no excuse for being without something good to read. Offerings include explosive novels, revealing memoirs, brilliant biographies, and everything in between. No matter what you like to read, there's a title coming out this spring that's sure to be just what you're looking for.

Barkley L. Hendricks: Solid!

Barkley L. Hendricks: Solid!

Double Click

Double Click

Frances and Kathryn McLaughlin were twin sisters and trailblazing photographers in the 1930s and '40s, shooting for era-defining magazines and helping to shape the way the world saw itself in a time of extreme upheaval. In this deeply researched and fascinating biography, T&C contributor Carol Kino explores the lives and all-too-short careers of both women as well as a lost age among some of the 20th century's most important creative forces.

Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring

Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring

Recently, Keith Haring's singular style of artwork has been celebrated with major recent retrospectives , and now the late artist's life is the subject of a major biography by Brad Gooch, a noted master of the form. Here, we delve deep into New York City in the 1980s—with appearances, of course, by Andy Warhol, Madonna, and Jean-Michele Basqiuat—to see the world that shaped Haring and discover how he found his singular place within it. Gooch has written an unforgettable portrait of an icon who's as smart, charming, and multifaceted as the masterpieces that he left behind.

Blank

Has anyone ever had a sophomore slump quite like Pippa Jones? The novelist had a hit with her first book, but now that the second one is due—and her best idea so far went up in flames—she's running out of time to deliver something brilliant. Just when it seems like she'll never make it happen, however, a so-wild-it-just-might-work idea comes her way and Pippa decides to give it her all—despite the way it'll turn her world upside down.

Until August

Until August

This new book by Gabriel García Márquez, published 10 years after his death, almost never saw the light of day. The novel, among the last pieces the Nobel Prize winning author worked on, was reportedly deemed by Márquez not quite ready for publication and filed in his archive—until now. The story, about a woman who makes an annual pilgrimage to an island where she does something seemingly very out of character—and in doing so, gets closer to her true self—was revisited by Márquez's children, who decided it was in fact something to be shared with the world. Lucky, lucky us.

All in Her Head

All in Her Head

History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Well, not always. In this remarkable look at the way medicine has approached women's health, the oncologist and medical historian Dr. Elizabeth Comen looks at the way women have been treated and mistreated by doctors over the years, and the impact it's had on the way their health is viewed today. Comen's thoughtful, thorough, and very well written book looks at 11 different organ systems in the body and tells stories from the past and her own practice to shed light on the roles they've played in women's overall health. Consider this book not just good, but good for you.

Finding Margaret Fuller

Finding Margaret Fuller

Nobody does historical fiction quite like Allison Pataki. Some of her previous novels have told stories about Marjorie Merriweather Post and Empress Sisi, and this latest fictionalizes the life of the boundary breaking journalist Magaret Fuller, following her from Boston to New York City and around the world as she masters her craft and meets some of the most fascinating characters of her day. Part of the joy in reading Pataki's books is you learn from them while being caught up in the sweeping action, and this latest is no exception.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

What does screen time really do to our kids? You might not want to know—but you need to. In this new book, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explores how the way kids are growing up today impacts their development and mental health, and is creating major problems for society at large. Beyond just identifying the problem, however, Haidt offers solutions to help turn the tide.

Memory Piece

Memory Piece

Life rarely turns out the way in which we expect, and the three friends at the center of Lisa Ko's new novel are no exception. Growing up together, the women bond over teenage alienation and big dreams of big lives. Some of those dreams come true, but just as often—as the book flashes from the 1980s and '90s into the 2040s—the characters are confronted with the disappointments and mundane disasters of everyday life. Still, Ko's book is a moving, sharply observed portrait of friendship and discovering what it means to live a worthwhile life—whether or not it's anything like what we'd hoped.

Wolf at the Table

Wolf at the Table

What's the price of unconditional love? What begins as a story of a family in Upstate New York during the 1950s follows the Larkin children through their lives, watching as each strives, with varying degrees of success, to find their place in the world. One of these kids, however, is different than the others. And while he drifts (or is pushed; depends on who you ask) from his family, who he becomes will be an issue that impacts them all. Rapp's novel is at once a big, bold story of where we come from and how we get where we're going and also a fascinating look at coping with evil in the places that are supposed to keep us safe.

Candy Darling: Dreamer, Icon, Superstar

Candy Darling: Dreamer, Icon, Superstar

For a long time, Candy Darling has been a fascinating footnote to other people's stories: a Warhol superstar, the inspiration for a Lou Reed hit, a muse to the Rolling Stones. Now, thanks to this biography from the remarkable Cynthia Carr (who wrote a stellar 2012 biography of David Wojnarowicz), Darling gets her turn as a main character in a book that tells her story as well as one about American culture, New York City, and the beginnings of a movement that would still be brewing 50 years later.

A Very Private School

A Very Private School

Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, turns his attention to his time at Maidwell Hall boarding school growing up. "I spent five years of my childhood in this school, trying to crack the code by which it lived. Now, forty-five years on, I think I’m finally there. I’m writing this book before my memories of half a century ago tip over into that chasm of forgetfulness that shadows old age," Spencer said in a statement. More on his memoir, here.

The Audacity

The Audacity

Things are not going well for Victoria Stevens. The tech billionaire has disappeared in the hours before a story will drop exposing her entire operation as fraudulent, and it seems as though she's left her husband holding the bag. In this funny, observant novel, Ryan Chapman follows the pair in their very different ways of dealing (one goes off the grid, the other goes wild on a private island where the world's richest people have convened) and in doing so, looks closely at the state of wealth and the world today. Pick this one up with Dorothy Parker's immortal words in mind: "If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."

All the World Beside

All the World Beside

In 18th-century New England, keeping up appearances is paramount—especially in a place like Cana, a religious community founded by Reverend Nathaniel Whitfield. But what lurks beneath the surface for Whitfield is something he'd never want to share with those neighbors. His relationship with the local doctor isn't only a secret, but something both men fear might be a sign of evil creeping into their utopia. In this moving and powerful novel, Garrard Conley follows the men and their families as the tension between their piety and desires becomes impossible to ignore.

What the Mountains Remember

What the Mountains Remember

This latest from the author of All the Pretty Places and The Grand Design follows Belle Newbold, a young woman at the turn of the 20th century who thinks she knows what it is she wants, but finds herself surprised and changed by what fate has in store. When a trip brings Belle and her soon-to-be-husband—practically a stranger– together in the mountains, a terrain she's attempted to avoid since a tragedy years before, everything she thought she knew about love and the life she desired is changed forever.

The Sicilian Inheritance

The Sicilian Inheritance

A mysterious inheritance, a decades-old murder, and a trip halfway around the world collide in this compelling new novel and a young woman whose unexpected windfall is just the beginning of a thrilling and dangerous adventure. When Sara Marsala returns to her ancestral homeland of Sicily, she has no clue that her trip will uncover a family secret and set her on a path that will change her life—and perhaps those of all the women who come from the same small village. Jo Piazza's book is a charming page turner packed with wit and wicked twists that will keep readers engrossed—until, of course, they set it down to plan their own trips abroad.

The Limits

Nell Freudenberger's latest is a globe-spanning epic that tackles questions of family, faith, and the fate of the world. When teenager Pia leaves her scientist mother behind in Tahiti to spend time with her father (and his new wife) in New York City, she had no idea what would lay ahead for her. But as she tries to find her place in this new family dynamic, the world comes grinding to a halt, what's important to Pia—and a cast of other unforgettable characters—shifts dramatically, revealing the true desires that drive a seemingly disparate but ultimately intertwined group of people across the world.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

In August of 2022, Salman Rushdie—the writer of books including Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses —survived a vicious attack a lecture in New York State. Here, he shares for the first time his recollections of the event and also his thoughts on life and art in the wake of it.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles

The Backyard Bird Chronicles

What can we learn if we sit still and take in the world around us? Amy Tan's latest asks this question, as the author compiles writing and her own artwork (as well as a foreword by David Allen Sibley) inspired by birding and discovers there are still lessons to be learned from the natural world, and great takeaways from observing instead of participating.

Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show

Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show

This delightful book takes readers inside the annual Westminster Dog Show, following the journey of a Samoyed named Striker as his competes with his handler, Laura, in the 2022 edition of the competition. If you're a dog person, have a passing interest in the world of dog shows, or even just really enjoyed the cult classic film from 2000, Best in Show : You won't want to miss Dogland .

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New to riding a European sleeper train? Here’s the best way to book tickets

As more people reconsider how they travel on a warming planet, a small but growing contingent in Europe wants to switch from high-emission, short-haul planes to more climate-friendly sleeper trains.

But for all the climate benefits – plus the enduring romance of overnight train journeys – building a vacation around them is not always simple.

Several national railways and private operators have moved in to meet the rising demand, and the result is a patchwork of overnight routes sold at over 30 different websites. Many routes may not run every day, and online ticket aggregators don't include all countries that have night trains.

"I've always gone around on trains and boats and buses, so it was normal for me," said Cat Jones, founder of the flight-free travel agency Byway. "But friends would say, 'Oh, that sounds amazing, but no way am I going to plan all that.' "

Sleeper train advocates, however, say the experience and convenience of riding the rails makes them worth any booking difficulty. With patience and a few tips, you'll never have to deal with airport security lines in the middle of your European holiday.

Air travel in Europe is a mess. Trains are a cheaper, quicker workaround.

1. Start with a little research

First, make sure routes exist between your desired cities. Back on Track, a European rail advocacy group, maintains a night train database with all current and soon-to-launch routes on the continent. Just be aware that city names are listed with local spellings, such as Praha for Prague.

Then head to the sleeper train section of Man in Seat 61, a website run by former rail industry worker Mark Smith that exhaustively explains what to expect. The site has details on dozens of international routes, down to seat and berth numbers on specific trains – even photos of the food and where to find electrical outlets.

Many operators provide perks like breakfast and free water, and some allow female travelers to book shared spaces only with other women.

Once you've found the right route, check Trainline and RailEurope, which sell tickets on most railways. Or go directly to the operator's website; all will have an option to switch the language to English.

2. Decide how much privacy you need

Night trains' configuration varies by operator, line and carriage. Many trains have a car or two with traditional upright seats selling for as little as 19 euros, but they recline and are much more spacious than an airplane seat.

Other carriages have sleeper cabins with anywhere from one to six beds, which likely fold up when not in use. It's possible to book an entire cabin for a family or group of friends, but you'll pay extra.

Sarah Marks, a frequent sleeper train traveler from London, said she was nervous the first time sharing a cabin, but ultimately found it was a great way to meet like-minded travelers. "It's quite an intimate experience," she said. "But hand over heart, every single one has been really nice and actually enhanced my experience."

3. Plan to book in advance – but not too much in advance

Because most rail companies use dynamic pricing, as airlines do, the price of a ticket likely will rise as the date approaches.

But if you search for tickets now for summer travel, chances are you won't see the routes available. Many railways do not open ticket sales until two or three months in advance. Several factors influence the timing, but it's mostly because track maintenance is usually scheduled overnight to minimize commuter disruption.

"With sleeper trains, that's tricky to plan around," Smith said, noting that he often hears concerns from Americans who like to plan their trips several months in advance.

4. Be flexible

During peak times, the most popular routes, such as Paris to Berlin, can sell out or become prohibitively expensive for some travelers.

Jones said that rather than being deterred, travelers should consider rail travel as a way to break the mold of point-to-point round trips.

"If what people want is not available on that day, do a daytime train and we'll put you on another sleeper somewhere else," she said. Because Europe's rail network is so extensive, there are many ways to get from point A to point B and back again, maybe returning through a city you might not have considered visiting.

"By relying on that network effect," she said. "There's always an amazing option as long as you're flexible."

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