Recommended Travel Books

I love to read. I really love to read. I read pretty fast and devour books by the dozens on a regular basis. On a normal one-week beach vacation, I need at least 5 books preferably 10 to just make it through the vacation. This is why my Kindle is a necessity. Bag weight alone without it would dwarf me. One of my favorite pastimes is reading travel books that feed my wanderlust. Some of them give me inspiration for our trip, some of them just give me inspiration about a different way of life, some tempt me to cook a meal, and some of them offer me practical information about travel. But they all let me dream about far off places that I want to go even if I have already been. I’ve included a few recommended travel books below.

If you want a good dream or just an afternoon of fun, I’d recommend the following (Amazon affiliate links):

One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children – a family with 3 children takes off on a round the world trip for one year. Told through the eyes of the father, this is a humorous spin on what it is like to travel as a family. This family was particularly brave since they were traveling with a toddler, but their babysitter came along as a nod to that. This book was also the original inspiration for our trip and the reason why we want to take a self-drive canal boat during our time in France.

A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean – a Couple moves to Anguilla, a small Caribbean island, and fulfills their dream of opening a restaurant. It’s a portrait of living on a small island where things are hard to get but the people are charming and the scenery amazing. I’ve wanted to go to Anguilla and eat at Blanchard’s ever since I read this book.

An Embarrassment of Mangos: A Caribbean Interlude – a couple quits their jobs and sails around the Caribbean on their sailboat for 2 years. The visit 47 islands and 16 different countries and give you the flavor of how they are all feel. I would love to sail around the Caribbean if my family members didn’t get sea sick and I was more mechanically inclined. This book gave highs and lows of living on a boat, rough crossings, things that break, amazing local produce, and gorgeous views.

A Year in Provence – Peter Mayle’s story of moving into a 200-year-old farmhouse in a remote area of Provence with his wife. They explore the South of France and all the wonderful food of the region. It is a classic for a reason.

Happier than a Billionaire: Quitting my job, Moving to Costa Rica and Living the Zero Hour Work Week – A couple in their 30s quits their jobs and moves to Costa Rica to retire. Their humorous take on life in Costa Rica makes me laugh out loud. From getting residency permits to finding a place to live, to all the differences of everyday life in another country. They may not have much and a small budget, but they are Happier than a Billionaire.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail – Bill Bryson and his friend, who are not hikers, nor are they in shape decide to hike the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail. Their story makes me laugh out loud while describing beautiful scenery that they see along the way. This story makes me want to hike the trail one day.

Home Sweet Anywhere: How we Sold Our House, Created a New Life, and Saw the World – A couple who is retiring decides to sell their house and see the world. They visit the wonderful San Miguel Allende, Argentina, Portugal, Ireland, Istanbul, Tuscany, Paris, and a whole host of other places. Their passion for travel and experiencing new places is inspiring and their advice on traveling is wonderfully practical. This book makes me want to be a professional nomad when I get to retire.

360 Degrees Longitude: One Family’s Journey around the World – A family takes off on a one year round the world trip. They bike (really) through Europe as a family and visit a total of 28 countries in one year. Their book talked about the ins and outs of long term family travel and dealt with a ton of practicalities. It was a great read to help with planning for our trip.

My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories – David Lebovitz is a famous baker and moved to Paris from the United States. This book is about his life in Paris and all the delicious food he makes in his ridiculously small kitchen. Whenever I read this book, I feel like I have lived in Paris and immediately want to start cooking and making one of his delectable recipes.

Mediterranean Summer: A Season on France’s Cote d’Azur and Italy’s Costa Bella – A chef who is a bit burnt out on restaurant gets a job on a mega yacht cooking for a couple while they cruise through France and Italy. Great descriptions of life on a boat as crew and wonderful descriptions of the local fresh food available. There is definitely a bit of wishing for the life of the rich and famous as you read this book.

Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy – Cortona is a small town in Tuscany. Frances and her husband buy a dilapidated and abandoned villa near Cortona. They restore it through a series projects that never go quite as expected. Their life is home projects, delicious food, exploring Etruscan ruins, and living a life in the Italian countryside. The picture painted is idyllic and serene.

World Trek: A Family Odyssey – A family with 2 daughters sets out on a yearlong round the world trip. They visit 18 countries some of which provided inspiration for our own trip. They mix a good amount of famous locations and off the beaten path spots. They provide a good combination of dream-worthy travel ideas and practical travel advice for those who want to do extended travel.
If you have some favorite travel books, I’d love to hear what they are!