If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

10 Travel Books That Will Make the Perfect Gift

Plan Holiday travel book gift

Travel books make great presents, albeit under the Christmas tree, or birthday, or anniversary, or Valentine… There are endless occasions to give such a precious gift.

For avid travelers, it will inspire them to go places they’ve not yet been to. For first-time travelers, it will whet their appetite to make that very first travel booking.  Not everyone is able to travel, but they love reading about novel places, traditions, cultures, and feasting their eyes on amazing travel photos. They too will find immense enjoyment from travel books.

‘Travel and Home’ has put together our Top Ten travel books, which will not only make a perfect gift but also be a terrific addition to your own travel library.

Our list is in no specific order, thus not an indication of priority, but only to serve as a guide to getting the best gift for a special person in your life.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die

by Patricia Schultz 

Being a bestseller, it is known to many travelers across the globe. For instance, on our Facebook group page, we regularly find members making reference to extracts from the book.

The content covers a wide variety of attractions. For instance, “sacred ruins, coral reefs, hilltop villages, deserted beaches, wine trails, hidden islands, opera houses, wildlife preserves, castles, museums, and more.”  

1000 places to see before you die

Review

“It’s a big world out there, which makes it hard to decide on a vacation destination. The Internet can seem just as vast when it comes time to research. That’s why Patricia Schultz’s 1,000 Places to See Before You Die deserves a place on your bookshelf. A great inspiration tool that includes both the obvious…and the less so.”
—The Washington Post

Destinations of a Lifetime

225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places, by National Geographic

National Geographic is known for the most beautiful travel photography. So, it’s a given that travel books from National Geographic are the ultimate inspiration to explore the world, discover new places, and experience traditions and cultures that will enrich you for life.

So by the way, the famous and historic guesthouse featured on the cover is in the Swiss Alps. 

Dating back to 1860 Aescher is one of the oldest mountain guest houses in Switzerland.

Destinations of a Lifetime

Review

“This breathtaking, 320-page volume,  features hundreds of locales around the world, both natural and man-made, including ancient monoliths, scenic islands, white-sand seashores and rain forests. Images are accompanied by practical travel information for visitors to each place, including dining and lodging options.”–The Wall Street Journal

The World’s Most Romantic Destinations

50 Dreamy Getaways, Private Retreats, and Enchanting Places to Celebrate Love, by National Geographic

This 256-page hard-cover book is in my opinion the best wedding gift ever! Or an engagement gift, for that matter. Or a wedding anniversary gift.  Or just for the sake of love and romance. Why not!?

Romantic destinations, travel books, best gifts for travelers, buy travel books online

Review

“The list of locations–some surprising, some obvious but with a twist–seems to encourage readers to touch on all three loves: partner, place and travel itself.” –San Francisco Chronicle

The Wine Lover’s Bucket List

1,000 Amazing Adventures in Pursuit of Wine, by Simon J. Woolf

I’ve found myself many times searching for an appropriate male gift, and then this book came to the rescue! 

At 416 pages, this is a beautiful coverage of 1,000 vineyards, without going into too many details.  The author is an award-winning wine and drinks writer.

Wine lovers bucket list travel books

Review

The overall rating is not very high, but I still find it worth its money. 

The Travel Book

A Journey Through Every Country in the World, by Lonely Planet

You simply can not go wrong with this hardcover book as a gift choice. It’s likely to be passed on in generations to come because it is a fascinating, informative, and interesting read.

Another reason why this travel book is in our collection is that it covers every country in the world. Thus, all-inclusive, and that’s a big bonus when you’re looking to explore a new country.

Journey world travel books

Review

“A reference guide to the world, with a bite-sized breakdown on each of the world s countries, Lonely Planet s The Travel Book is a bookshelf essential for gourmet travellers and the just-published 2016 edition is no exception. Slick photography and pithy summaries of what to see and do (as well as eat and drink) makes it an ideal starting point for trip-planning. Did you know that Angola has, historically, been one of the world s biggest coffee producers, or that if you drink tea around a Tuareg campfire in Algeria you ll need to wait for it to be poured three times? You will.”, Olive Magazine

Where To Go When

By Lonely Planet and Sarah Baxter

I believe this hardcover book is great value for money.  For starters, it’s a beautiful addition to your coffee table books. Secondly, it’s 304 pages of enjoyment covering all twelve months of the year. You can find a travel destination that suits your preference in climate and temperatures throughout the year.

In addition to that, the book is highly resourceful with guides on different trip durations. For instance, taking a 2-week trip to just a short getaway.

What I really love about the book, is its creativity in the design and layout. It really is something different, and that makes it for me! For instance, the suitcase. A suitcase is used as a pie chart! All kinds of valuable information are included in the suitcase. For example, culture, wildlife, or cuisine… 

Where to go and when travel books

Review

“I struggle year upon year trying to decide where to go, what season is best, what budget i need etc. So many hours have been spent researching a location and then realising that it was the wrong time of year. I truly think everyone should own this book – it is so so useful. It was meant to be a gift once i opened it i decided it had to be mine…. genuinely an amazing book. Beautifully written and presented also.” – Amazon customer

Ultimate Travel Crosswords

by Lonely Planet

It’s available in paperback form, which makes it a perfect gift for an avid traveler. Not only is it suitable for travelers who love crosswords, but it’s also fun to share with friends when you’re trying to pass time between destinations. What’s more, because it’s in paperback form, it is relatively light-weight. Thus, easy to put into a luggage bag.

Also, it’s a perfect gift for anyone who simply enjoys crossword puzzles! Especially if they believe they’re good at geography. This book will put their knowledge to the test.

Ultimate crossword travel books

Review

Really love this product, I wish it was bigger! Fun to do, while not being too hard, perfect for people who likes geography trivia 🙂 – Jenn G. Reviewed in Canada, 22 October 2020 on Amazon.

Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! (My First I Can Read)

by Kelly Starling Lyons

It’s never too soon to stimulate a child’s travel senses. This paperback is an ideal gift to also inspire our next generation of leaders to read.

About the book

“Celebrate imagination and the power of persistence in Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! by the acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Nina Mata.

With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, this Guided Reading Level I and My First series I Can Read is perfect for shared reading with a child. Books at this level feature basic language, word repetition, and whimsical illustrations, ideal for sharing with emergent readers. The active, engaging stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.” – Amazon.uk

tys travels travel books

Review

At the time of publishing our article, the book is rated almost 5 out of 5.  That makes it a serious contender as a perfect gift.

 

Guide to Travel Photography

by Lonely Planet and Richard I’Anson 

The Photography tips are of unmeasurable value as they not only come from an experienced photographer, but it also covers various photography mediums. For instance, smartphones, DSLR cameras, drones, and GoPro action cameras.

It’s a perfect gift for aspiring travel photographers. The book covers subject matters from starting kits to software to photographic techniques to sharing digital media, and more.

It’s published in paperback form. So again, it’s easy to include as part of the travel essentials on any holiday trip.

Guide to travel photography travel books

Review

“The author is very thorough and passionate about his work. Excellent book. Highly recommend this if you have an interest in travel photography.” – Zalan