Are you stuck at home?
Bored?
Missing travel?
Me too.
We’re in uncharted waters across the globe.
It’s all a bit surreal, isn’t it?
Well I’m going to lighten the mood and help you do a bit of armchair travel.
How are you going to do that, you ask?
With a list of the best travel books, that’s how.
I know we don’t know when it will be okay to travel again.
But books about travel are a wonderful way to get through these dark times.
And the best travel books can transport us to another time and another place.
Sometimes in dark times we need to escape — even if just for a little while.
Travel stories, memoirs or works of fiction, can be a great way to travel vicariously through others’ tales.
And these stories can ease our itchy feet and restless souls.
So I’ve put together a list of the best travel books that I think will help you, the travel lover, through these tough times.
These are some of my personal favorite books that I hope will bring you comfort at this difficult time.
And inspire you to dream — and maybe even begin to plan your next adventure.
Because this too shall pass.
And I know we’ll all be out there again, traveling, exploring and wandering again soon.
We’ll be out there again soon…exploring, wandering. For now, let’s do some armchair travel through books!
Best Travel Books — Memoirs
Tales of a Female Nomad
I love this book by Rita Goldman Gelman!
Rita had been leading a pretty luxurious life in LA but it didn’t suit her.
So as her marriage is falling apart she decides to travel.
She has always wanted to connect more deeply with people around the world.
And this is exactly what she does, traveling to places like Mexico and Borneo.
Her story will resonate with anyone who has dreamed of a different life.
Why do I think it’s one of the best travel books?
Probably because when I read it, I was going through a rough patch of feeling a bit stuck in my own life.
Her journey — both external and internal — spoke to me.
I found myself admiring her courageous spirit and her love of humanity.
Who this is for: Anyone who wants to go on both an actual journey through countries and cultures, as well as the internal journey of self-discovery.
A Year in Provence
The late Peter Mayle’s classic memoir of buying then moving into an old farm house in Provence makes every list of best travel books.
It’s funny, heartfelt and hard to put down.
You’ll feel as though you are right there with Peter as he deals with the eccentric locals, eats the delicious food and adjusts to a new rhythm of life.
Although this book is now almost 30 years old, it still resonates.
Who this is for: Anyone who dreams of moving to a small village in Europe.
Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert had us all wanting to follow in her footsteps as she took off on a journey to figure out how to be happy.
Why was she unhappy when she “had it all?”
Was something missing?
From Italy to India to Bali, Liz delves into her emotions, coming to terms with who she is and what’s important in life.
While it’s fun to read about where she is, this book is so much about that inner journey and how travel can help us find our way to our own true self.
Who this is for: Anyone who wants to journey deep into their heart and soul to find their true self.
Hint: Do read the book as it’s much better than the movie.
Travel stories can take us to other times and other places…something we all need right now! Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Frances Mayes had us all dreaming of buying and restoring a house in Tuscany with her 1997 memoir.
This is a classic and one of the best travel books for sure.
Now, the movie with Diane Lane is fun.
But the book is very, very different — and much better, in my opinion.
Frances’ story is one that sees her in a happy marriage with her husband, Ed.
It is the 2 of them that decide they want to have a house to travel to during their breaks as university professors.
And they find this shambles of a villa near the town of Cortona, Tuscany.
They decide to buy it and restore it.
Of course, this being Italy, the process of an American couple buying and renovating a house is not an easy one.
Under the Tuscan Sun is filled with funny moments, frustrating moments and a lot of love — for a country, region and its people.
Who this is for: Anyone who loves Italy.
The Geography of Bliss
Is there such a thing as the happiest country on earth?
Eric Weiner goes on an odyssey to figure this out.
He visits 10 different countries with varying views on happiness — from a country like Bhutan who believe in gross national happiness to Qatar with lots of money from selling oil (does money buy happiness?).
It’s a journey in search of an answer that may or may not come to fruition.
This book is a mix of science, psychology, travel and humor all rolled into one.
I personally love this book and like Eric’s take on this idea of happiness.
This is one of the best travel books that is not as well-known as some of the others.
Who this is for: Anyone with an interest in the science and psychology of place who happens to also love travel.
Find your favorite travel book and dive into the story!
A Golf Course Called Ireland
I bought this book about 10 years ago for my dad as we (my mom, dad and I) were getting ready to travel to Ireland together — the 2 of them for the first time.
This book, by Tom Coyne, is about a guys’ golf trip to Ireland.
The kicker is that they were going to travel to different golf courses to play but they were going to travel on foot.
That’s right.
No car rental for this group of lads.
And they were not exactly in walking shape!
This is a hilarious story but it’s also filled with moments of Tom connecting to his family roots by getting to know and understand Ireland and the Irish better.
And he does it mostly through golf — and some pub time too. 😉
I actually read this book before I shipped it off to my dad.
It’s funny as hell!
Who this is for: Anyone who loves golf, but I think it also appeals to anyone who loves Ireland and at least knows a bit about golf.
Living in a Foreign Language
When I bought this book in e-format, I didn’t realize who had written this.
Who remembers the tv show, LA Law?
Remember Stuart and Ann, the unlikely couple — who turned out to be a couple in real life?
Yup.
Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry decide to — very spontaneously — buy a house in Umbria near the town of Spoleto.
Umbria is the region right next to Tuscany and is similar in many ways — as in it’s easy to fall in love with an old house.
This is their story of restoring the house, learning the Italian language and understanding the Italian culture.
Oh and they definitely get into the food!
It’s wonderfully written by Michael who does a fabulous job of bringing their story to life.
Who is this for: Anyone who loves Italy especially the food and wine.
Walking Home
Sonia Choquette writes so openly in her memoir about walking the Camino di Santiago in northern Spain.
She has gone through loss and needs to heal.
So she decides to walk the 800km/500mi pilgrim trail.
Sonia is open about how physically hard this journey is.
But she is also honest about her feelings, her emotions.
Because, for her, this is not just about walking this classic long distance trail, it’s about finding her way to her own true self.
It’s funny, it’s poignant and heartfelt.
Who this is for: Anyone thinking about undertaking a long distance walk, no matter your reason.
It’s hard to not travel at this time. But we can lose ourselves in other stories and be transported…
Best Travel Books — Fiction
The Alchemist
Paolo Coehlo’s book about an Andalucían shepherd boy who travels to far off lands in search of treasure is a journey of self-discovery.
It’s magical and mystical and dives deep into what really matters — the heart.
And it is told by one of the best writers of our generation.
If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it.
The Alchemist is one I read over regularly and is a perfect read for times like this.
It’s one of the best travel books.
Period.
Who this is for: Anyone who wants to really transport themselves to another time and place, and enjoys a bit of the mystical.
The Dublin Saga: The Princes of Ireland and The Rebels of Ireland
These 2 books are a must for those who love Ireland and love historical fiction. 🙋♀️
But — you have been forewarned — these are long books and filled with lots of history.
Written by Edward Rutherford who is an avid historical researcher, The Princes of Ireland begins in tribal times of Ireland, well before Christianity.
It follows different families, fictional and some characters of Celtic legends, through generations.
The Princes of Ireland then melds into The Rebels of Ireland as Ireland falls under English rule and their fight for independence.
I love how Edward melds historical facts and events into stories of people.
While these are long reads, they are NOT boring.
And I find that these 2 books have helped me understand this country I love and its people so much more.
Who this is for: Anyone who loves history and loves Ireland and wants to learn and understand this country better.
Last Voyage of the Valentina
So…this is a bit more “fluff” than the above.
But I think Santa Montefiore writes compelling stories about families — stories that span generations and countries.
This story is about Alba, a young, spoiled English woman living on a houseboat in the Chelsea area of London.
She never knew her Italian mother.
Her father, now married and living in rural England, doesn’t talk about Alba’s mom.
Flash back to the end of WWII in the Amalfi Coast of Italy and we see the Italian mother, Valentina, that Alba never knew.
We learn about her life and how the story of Alba came to be.
This was the first book by Santa Montefiore I read.
I loved it so much that I searched for other books by her (and, yes, there are more on this list).
She paints wonderful pictures of 1960’s London, the countryside of England and coastal Italy at the end of WWII.
Santa writes interesting, intertwining tales of families, secrets, love and loss.
And she is wonderful at portraying complex female characters who end up on a journey of self-discovery — whether they mean to or not.
This is one of the best travel books that is not as much about travel, but somehow is. (I know that may not make sense, but if you read it, you’ll understand.)
Who this is for: Anyone who wants to escape to another place and time and delve into family stories.
Reading travel stories at this time can help lighten our mood.
Paris: The Novel
Another Edward Rutherford tome, Paris: The Novel is all about well, Paris and focuses mainly on the time around the building of the Eiffel Tower.
But it moves back in time as well, going back in the 1200’s and coming forward to the late 1800’s and ending in the mid-20th century.
Again, there are fictional characters wrapped up in lots of historical facts in true Edward Rutherford fashion.
It’s interesting to see how much Paris changes over the centuries and all that the city and its people endure.
I love this book as it is such a wonderful way to understand Paris and the French people.
It will bring light to the City of Light.
Who is this for: Anyone who loves Paris and loves history.
Daughters of Ireland Triology
More books by Santa Montefiore!
This triology — The Irish Girl, The Daughters of Ireland and The Secret of the Irish Castle — follows 2 girls and 3 different families through the early 1900’s into the middle of the 20th century.
The girls, from different classes of society, become women and we follow them, their families, their romances, their ups and downs.
We see them go from girls to wives to mothers.
There are secrets that come to light and hearts that are broken and mended.
And with the backdrop of County Cork, Ireland and New York City, we get to travel through these places and through time with these 2 women.
As someone who loves Ireland and who loves family sagas, these 3 books have been some of my favorite books to escape the real world.
Who this is for: Women who love Ireland, love a good romance but who also love strong female characters and good family stories.
The Paris Key
Who loves Paris?
Yup.
Me too.
This book by Juliet Blackwell follows Genevieve, an American with Parisian roots, on a journey through Paris.
Genevieve loved helping her uncle with his locksmithing business when she visited Paris as a girl.
It’s when she felt the happiest.
Now as a woman she has the opportunity to return to Paris and to the locksmith shop her, now late uncle, owned.
As she spends time taking over his business Genevieve learns more about her family and some family secrets.
This is another story about a family across generations and secrets that were kept hidden and are now being discovered.
I love this book because of the family story but also because Juliet paints such a real picture of Paris.
Who this is for: Anyone who dreams of living in Paris.
Maybe you can’t travel now, but you can start dreaming — and maybe even planning — travel for the future.
Bonus: Lonely Planet Guides
Because I know we will travel soon enough, I have to include the Lonely Planet guides.
While these guides are not quite as good as they were, they are still a starting point for planning your travels.
I’ve actually found a few off the beaten track spots in these guides (hint: check the little grey boxes).
As a travel planner, I do use these for basic information and find them to be incredibly useful.
So if you’re thinking about traveling in 2021, why not get a head start on some research?
It’s a fabulous way to beat the coronavirus, lockdown blues!
Do you have books to add?
I know I have more, but these are truly some of my favorites!
I’d love to know about some of your recommendations so feel free to drop them in the comments below.
And know that during this difficult time, your support is greatly appreciated.
Your visit to my website and reading my blog is helpful and appreciated.
As always, I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you.
Be well!
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