20 Travel Books to Inspire Wanderlust

At the top of my Christmas list this year is Lonely Planet’s “The Travel Book.” This stunningly illustrated book takes you on a journey around 230 countries and is an essential travel reference book for everyone. Each country is profiled with details of when to visit and what to do and see as well as a map and interesting facts.

This 448 page book will make an amazing gift and is my number one choice this Christmas!

NatGeo takes you on a photographic tour of the world’s most spectacular destinations, inspiring tangible ideas for your next trip.

Travel to hundreds of the most breathtaking locales—both natural and man-made—illustrated with vivid images taken by the organization's world-class photographers.

Destinations of a Lifetime has it all: when to go, where to eat, where to stay, and what to do to ensure the most enriching and authentic experience.

With 1,000 adventures for all ages, it’s never too soon or too late to begin the things you’ve only dreamed of doing.

A number one bestseller Humans of New York started in 2010 as a blog and soon developed a fan base of millions. This is the book based on the blog and showcases through portraits and stories the lives of New Yorkers.

An ideal gift for the newly weds or empty nesters in your life. Organised by type of destination (beach/mountain/desert etc) this is the perfect gift for those traveling couples who love exploring the world.

I think this may form the basis of new bucket list journeys for me as it includes so many amazing possibilities that I hadn’t even considered. This book also includes 22 fun Top 10 lists such as top elevator rides, ancient highways and bridges to walk across.

Who doesn’t love trying new foods when on holiday! This book lists the top 500 food experiences you can have around the world. How many have you tried and which is your number one culinary experience from your travels?

If you live in the US or are planning a trip there this book showcases the best travel experiences you can have in every state. Find out fascinating facts about every state and get planning that vacation!

I make no secret of my love of cities. I adore the cosmopolitan atmosphere and the craziness of them. This is a great choice for those who dream of visiting far off cities such as Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Venice, Cape Town, amongst others. A perfect compliment to my Insider’s Guide series this is a must-buy for me this Christmas!

Arm-chair travelers and dreamers of the world unite – this is the perfect choice for us!

The perfect gift for those travel lovers with a thirst for knowledge whatever their age. Learn all about the world around us in this fantastic almanac for 2020.

Love history? Love maps? This is the perfect book. For travelers who want to understand more about the world we live in today this book is the ideal gift. Learn about how the countries we travel to came to exist – how human history has shaped the world as we know it. Containing more than 140 detailed maps this book tells the story of pivotal events and episodes in world history.

Explore the world and plan your next trip with the help of this fabulous book from Lonely Planet. Itineraries accompany maps showcasing every country on earth. For lovers of maps this is an ideal gift!

Filled with helpful travel tips and beautiful National Geographic photography, this expert guide showcases the best experiences in the top national, state, and city parks throughout North America.

No matter if you’ve got an outdoorsman or a city girl in the family, everyone can get on board with glamping—especially when they see this new coffee-table book. Comfortably Wild: The Best Glamping Destinations in North America is the culmination of our friends at HoneyTrek’s 2.5-year, 73,000-mile, the 9-country quest for the most unforgettable outdoor accommodations.

More gifts and books for for travel lovers with a map theme.

Looking for more inspiration - this article features atlas books for the travel lover.

A selection of books from around the world can be found in this round-up. Find books for countries from A to Z.