Best Travelling Books for Your Next Trip

Travelling is an opportunity to explore the world around you and get to know destinations far different from your everyday life. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use your mind to travel even further.

Bringing a good book with you can help you unwind. Whether it is a light read on the plane, the train, or while sitting in a stylish café in a foreign land, these travelling books are excellent companions during your globe-trotting adventures.

1. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

Best For: Travellers yearning for the thrill of adventure and a nomad life—at least for a while.

There are many ways to travel. You can take a business trip, enjoy a leisurely luxury vacation, or backpack through your preferred destination.

Then, according to Rolf Potts, there is vagabonding—breaking away from your everyday life to enjoy independent travel for as little as six weeks or as long as a few years. In this type of travel, you become a free spirit powered by wanderlust, visiting anything and everything you want for as long as you need.

If this interests you, Vagabonding can serve as a guide to help you choose destinations, manage a budget, and address other common issues you may face.

2. Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe

Best For: Travellers aiming for Europe with a taste for anecdotes, adventure, and lots of comedy.

First released in 1991, Neither Here nor There may not be as accurate as it was over thirty years before, but it remains a jewel of travel journals and one of the most humorous books you can read while travelling.

In its pages, author Bill Bryson recounts his travelling adventures in the Old Continent—from attending Hammerfest in Norway to see the Northern Lights to Istanbul in Turkey to witness the vastness of Asia ahead of him. He complains and enjoys; witnesses and experiments.

Neither Here nor There is a must-read full of funny anecdotes and witty humour.

3. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders

Best For: Travellers who don’t want to see the same landmarks and instead yearn for the obscure, strange, and outright bizarre.

Atlas Obscura became an instant best-seller upon release and with good reason. Featuring countless destinations you may never have heard of, this book gives the starring role to the weird and fascinating—from baby jumping festivals to mysterious caves.

With descriptive explanations, maps, guides, and exclusive photography, Atlas Obscura can be key to making your trip different from any other.

Pro-tip: Be sure to pick up the second edition, as it has over a hundred new destinations and even more information for each section.

4. 1,000 Places To See Before You Die

Best For: Spontaneous travellers that are eager to discover their next destination

If you have a bucket list, some money, and a dream, exploring the world might be a great investment. But before you do, you need to find out which destination to visit—and luckily, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die has you covered.

1,000 Places covers all continents and combines historical sites, cultural events, architectural wonders, and even natural landscapes worth visiting. It does not care much for a place’s popularity—it includes famous and unknown locations that are equally important and awe-inspiring.

5. A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines

Best For: Adventurous travellers with a bold palate convinced that the best way to learn about a culture is through its food customs.

Eating together and sharing the table with friends and strangers alike has been humanity’s preferred way of bonding. As such, it is not a surprise that, for many people, travelling is not a complete experience without enjoying traditional food as the locals do.

Anthony Bourdain was one of the lead believers of this premise, and his ever-popular book, A Cook’s Tour, is proof of that. Within its pages, Bourdain tries and enjoys the strangest and most extreme cuisines in the world—including balut, a beating cobra heart, and more.

As you prepare for your next adventure, don’t forget to pack a few of these captivating reads. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, a mental escape, or practical advice, the right book can transform your journey. Happy travels, and may your literary companions make every trip unforgettable!