18 travel books to inspire your next vacation or feed your wanderlust

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.If you didn't feel like hopping on a train, plane, or car to a new, unexplored destination before now, you will after reading one of these 18 travel books. Their eye-catching photographs, romantic descriptions, and useful travel tips will inspire you to pack your bags and book a ticket ASAP. The books cover domestic and international adventures alike, advising you on the can't-miss things to do and eat. Surrounded by beautiful Instagram feeds, bite-sized travel clips, and deep-dive shows focusing on one country or even one city, we're reminded again and again that there's a world outside our immediate purview. Before the TV and internet, books were a prime way to learn about the unexplored places a walk, drive, or plane ride away from us. Even though their use and popularity has been usurped by that of online travel guides, we still think books are a useful, tactile, and romantic way to gather travel inspiration. More than a simple coffee table decoration to flip through carelessly, travel books offer both aesthetic and functional appeal. Alongside full-page photographic spreads, you'll learn more about the histories, stories, things to do, and dishes to eat in different destinations around the world. These 18 travel books are full of so many interesting, exciting, and unique ideas that you'll feel like you have no choice but to transform from armchair traveler to real-life traveler. If you need help or inspiration to figure out where to travel next, read one of the books below. Captions are provided by Amazon and edited for grammar and length.