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While we’d all love to spend our days exploring the world’s most beautiful cities, busy schedules and budget constraints can get in the way. So, what do you do when the unrelenting desire to travel returns?
Simple: you pick up an immersive travel book! These captivating tales have a unique way of transporting readers to faraway lands packed with exciting adventures, bustling streets, and multicultural cuisines. So, if you’ve got the sudden urge to pack your bags and book the first ticket to the other end of the world, here are the five best travel books you can read to scratch that itch.
Let’s jump right in!
Why Pick Up the Best Travel Books When You Can’t Travel
Can’t jump on the next flight to your dream city? Worry not, there’s a better, faster, much more affordable way to get there! Spoiler alert: it all starts with unfolding the best travel books. Still feeling a little skeptical? Here’s how a literary travel companion can help satisfy your love for traveling the globe:
- Transport Your Imagination: Lose yourself in streets, landscapes, and cities across the globe, feeling like you’re really there.
- Experience Culture & Cuisine: From local meals to festivals, the best travel books immerse you in sights, sounds, and flavors.
- Spark Adventure & Wanderlust: Inspiring journeys remind you of the thrill of discovery and ignite future travel plans.
- Learn Through Stories: Discover history, people, and places through engaging narratives that enrich your worldview.
- Escape & Reflect: Explore new perspectives, dream big, and enjoy a mental getaway even while staying home.
The Best Travel Books to Read in 2026
1. Memories of a Globe Trotting Mama – Céleste LeBlanc Morneault
This heartfelt memoir transports readers to six beautiful continents, weaving together the experiences of motherhood, family life, and decades of travel. Through personal anecdotes, cultural immersion, and reflections on family and adventure, readers gain a perspective that is both intimate and expansive.
Through vivid storytelling and profound introspection, Memories of a Globe-Trotting Mama proves that adventure is as much about connection as it is about destination. Morneault’s life journey showcases the transformative power of travel, from lessons learnt to memories formed, that shape a lifetime.
2. Running with the Moon – Jonny Bealby
Bealby’s memoir plunges you into a deeply physical and emotional kind of travel, where moonlit landscapes and long treks become both challenge and meditation. The writing captures the endurance, solitude, and raw beauty of the natural world, making every step feel alive and reflective.
It’s undoubtedly one of the best travel books, drawing readers in by exploring difficult themes like resilience, perspective, and human connection along the way. It’s a moving story about courage, self-discovery, and the rewards of venturing into the unknown.
3. Under the Tuscan Sun – Frances Mayes
Mayes’ lyrical prose brings Tuscany vividly to life, from rolling vineyards to rustic kitchens filled with the scent of fresh bread. Her narrative is immersive, making you feel as though you are wandering cobblestone streets, meeting locals, and soaking in the rhythms of daily life.
Beyond the landscapes, Mayes captures the magic of slowing down and savoring life’s pleasures: the joy of lingering over mouth-watering meals, the beauty of mundane moments, and the charm of a culture steeped in tradition. By the time you’re flipping the last page, you’ll want to shift to this stunning city!
4. Round Ireland with a Fridge – Tony Hawks
Hitchhiking a fridge across Ireland sounds absurd (and it totally is!), but that’s what makes this book so charming. Hawks blends humor, spontaneity, and unexpected human connections into a heartwarming yet entertaining narrative, making it one of the best travel books.
Every chapter celebrates the unpredictability of travel, showing that the most memorable adventures often come from the most unlikely circumstances. You’ll laugh, smile, and be reminded that travel is as much about the people you meet as the places you visit.
5. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert’s journey spans Italy, India, and Indonesia, blending exploration with profound self-reflection. Through food, spiritual practice, and emotional discovery, she shows how travel can catalyze transformation and growth.
Her storytelling makes you feel like a companion on her journey, experiencing new cultures while witnessing a deeply personal evolution. It’s an epic memoir that inspires both wanderlust and introspection.
The Bottom Line
That’s all about my top five best travel books! As you can see, there’s a tale for all kinds of readers, whether you love sitting back with a thought-provoking memoir or want something that’ll have you clutching your stomach and laughing through tears.
If this year, the budget’s looking a little tight or you’ve got too much on your plate, pick one of these best travel books to satisfy your wanderlust. Best-case scenario: you get to read these books while flying to another beautiful city!
