The Best Travel Books to Read Before Your Next Trip

In the sunbaked heel of Italy’s boot, ancient olive trees stretch for miles, shaping both Puglia’s landscape and its culture. Not surprisingly, the region produces 40 percent of the country’s olive oil. In Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, Tom Mueller delves into the fascinating—and sometimes corrupt—olive oil industry, while celebrating the artisans who still press liquid gold the traditional way. For a more personal perspective, Salento by Five shares stories of family, food, and daily life in southern Puglia. Part travelogue, part love letter, it’s an evocative glimpse into the heart of Salento.

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A trip to the birthplace of Grand Cru, boeuf Bourguignon, and poulet de Bresse requires equally indulgent pre-tour reading. Start with beloved food writer M.F.K. Fisher’s Long Ago in France, a luminous memoir of her years in Dijon discovering the art of French living through food, wine, and the rhythms of provincial life in the 1930s. Then, pour a glass of Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru and follow renowned importer Kermit Lynch through France’s most storied vineyards. In Adventures on the Wine Route, Lynch introduces passionate vintners from the Rhône Valley to Burgundy—an essential guide to the character, craft, and joy of French wine at its most authentic.

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European, Balkan, and Mediterranean influences mingle throughout Croatia’s sunny coasts and cobblestone streets, revealing nuanced layers of culture and identity. In Understanding Croatia: A Collection of Essays on Croatian Identity, Božo Skoko examines the country’s history, politics, and pride as it finds its place in modern Europe. Sofija Stefanovic’s Miss Ex-Yugoslavia brings heart and humor to a memoir of childhood amid the breakup of Yugoslavia—a coming-of-age story of resilience and reinvention. Finally, Kristin Vukovic’s The Cheesemaker’s Daughter blends love, tradition, and the tastes of Paški sir in a novel as inviting as the land itself.

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Few places capture the magic of Italy like Tuscany, and few writers capture the magic of Tuscany like Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun. In In Tuscany, Mayes continues her ode to the region with essays that meander through piazzas and vineyards, kitchens and festivals, accompanied by the breathtaking photography of Bob Krist. Renaissance Florence comes alive in Ross King’s Brunelleschi’s Dome, the story of the audacious clockmaker who defied gravity and convention to raise the city’s iconic cupola. And in Road to Valor, Aili and Andres McConnon recount the tale of Gino Bartali, the Tuscan cyclist who twice triumphed in the Tour de France and secretly saved hundreds during the Holocaust.

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Part history lesson, part travel guide, and part memoir, British foreign correspondent Barry Hatton’s The Portuguese: A Modern History is a beautifully written portrait of Portugal and its people, chronicling the trials and triumphs of the author’s adopted country. In Alentejo Blu, a collection of interwoven stories by Monica Ali, readers are transported to Mamarrosa, a fictional rural village in southern Portugal. There, amid the cork forests of the Alentejo, a mosaic of characters—locals, expats, and wanderers—reflect on their dreams, loves, and losses in tales that evoke the quiet ebb and flow of life in this remote corner of the country.

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Set on Spain’s wild Costa Brava, Voices of the Old Sea tells the story of a small fishing village on the brink of change. Over three summers in the early 1950s, journalist Norman Lewis watched as Farol’s ancient rhythms gave way to the allure of modernity with the first tides of tourism. Decades earlier, George Orwell encountered a very different Spain when he arrived to report on the Spanish Civil War. In Homage to Catalonia, he recounts fighting fascism alongside Republican forces, crafting a stark narrative of revolution and a tribute to ordinary people who stand up for what they believe in.

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Join Stephen O’Shea on a spirited journey through Europe’s greatest mountain range in The Alps. In a colorful blend of history and humor, O’Shea takes readers from France to Slovenia, revealing how these awe-inspiring peaks shaped the people and places that dwell in their shadow. The mountains play a more dramatic role in Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Based on the true story of Pino Lella, the book follows the Italian teenager as he guides Jewish refugees on a perilous escape route to Switzerland through the Dolomites and later spies for the Allies during World War II.

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Mallorca’s sunlit landscapes have long captivated artists, trailblazers, and other creative spirits. During the 1980s recession, Scottish farmer Peter Kerr moved his family to the island to revive an old orange grove. Snowball Oranges, the first in his five-book series, portrays rural Mallorca’s rugged beauty and timeless traditions as they find their way on the Island of Calm. In 1954, another outsider—Catalan artist Joan Miró—found inspiration on the island. After moving from Barcelona to Palma, Miró entered his most prolific period. Edited by Margit Rowell, Joan Miró: Selected Writings and Interviews compiles essays, letters, and poetry to create a vivid self-portrait of the artist’s restless imagination.

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The past comes deliciously to life in A Bite Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment. In a series of easily digestible chapters, a French chef and an American scholar serve up anecdotes about the country’s food and wine, each tied to a defining cultural or political movement. Moving from table to terroir, The Complete Bordeaux by Stephen Brook introduces appellations, estates, and local personalities in this accessible guide to one of the world’s most celebrated—and complex—wine regions. Brimming with history, production insights, and tasting notes, it’s a detailed compendium on Bordeaux for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

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According to historian Jeff Biggers, to understand Italy one must first understand Sardinia, an island of beguiling beauty and profound architectural and cultural legacy. Biggers’ In Sardinia helps readers accomplish just that. In Bitter Honey, Letitia Clark turns the focus to the kitchen, conveying the island’s distinct culinary character through rustic recipes and local lore. Finally, in The Blue Zones Secrets for Longer Living, National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner explains how Sardinia’s tradition of purposeful living, island walks, strong community bonds, and generous pours of Cannonau wine create a powerful blueprint for a long, vibrant life.

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Sculpted by glaciers and defined by the striking interplay of coastlines and mountain ranges, Australasia is a place of remarkable human and ecological history. In The Future Eaters, acclaimed scientist and explorer Tim Flannery investigates the impact Aboriginal, Māori, Polynesian, and European settlers have had on the region’s flora, fauna, and landscapes over tens of thousands of years. A more contemporary perspective unfolds in Patrice LaVigne’s Between Each Step, a vivid memoir that chronicles her 2,000-mile trek along New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail with her husband, immersing readers in Kiwi culture, breathtaking scenery, and the rigors and rewards of long-distance travel.

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