Travel without leaving home: books that will take you places

Explore the world with our selection of books

As we wait to be able to set sail and explore distant lands once more, books offer us a window on the world. Travel writers, photographers and adventurers have all shared their inspirational journeys. To give yourself something to dream about or to help you plan a trip or pick your next destination, here is our selection of coffee table books, essays and travel books

Images to awaken your inner traveller

Specialised in wide-open spaces, the photographer Vincent Munier captures the beauty of the wildlife that lives in these immaculate landscapes. His publication, Solitudes I & II, comes in two volumes – one landscape format, the other portrait – and invites you to experience the harmony of nature. The images are accompanied by text chosen by Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard. Enjoy an inspiring and calming journey.

A nautical adventure

In The Long Way, French sailor Bernard Moitessier shares his experience of participating in the first non-stop, solo, round-the-world yacht race in 1968. Despite being on track to win, he decided to continue sailing to Polynesia rather than turn back and finish the race, thus becoming a legend. In this tale of an extraordinary adventure, Moitessier also evokes his own introspection and quest for happiness. This book has influenced generations of sailors.

In Patagonia, a travel literature classic

British sailor Bruce Chatwin decided to set sail for Patagonia on a whim, and wrote his first book in the process. At once a travel journal, diary and ethnographic study by one of the most famous travel writers in the world, this book depicts colourful characters and spectacular landscapes from Argentina to Chile via the Tierra del Fuego. It is a travel book that will make you crave adventure.

An ode to the Mediterranean

In this brilliant erudite essay, Predrag Matvejević draws a poetic and literary portrait of the eternal Mediterranean. Evoking its mythical places, history, cultures and civilisations, this seminal work reads both as a novel and as a travel logbook. Be swept up in an exciting Mediterranean epic.

Do you dream of travelling to the ends of the earth to see the White Continent? This coffee table travel book features 200 photographs that will make you want to book a cruise to Antarctica. ok features 200 photographs that will make you want to book a cruise to Antarctica. Produced by polar specialists, it immerses readers in the magnificent scenery and wildlife of Antarctica. It is accurate, richly documented and ideal for planning a trip.
Antarctica – Journey to the Peninsula by Raphaël Sané, Alain Bidart, Petra Glardon, Samuel Blanc, Agnès Brenière, José Sarica, Nicolas Dubreuil (Omniscience), 2015

Spend some time exploring all our destinations and choosing your next cruise