Some books have the power to transport you to the places described through their poetic and vivid storytelling. Here are our picks for the best travel books to read while on a journey to the various places described in the novels.
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The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante – Italy
Ischia is where main characters Elena and Lila spend their summer holidays
A mysterious novelist writing under a pseudonym took the world by storm when the first book of her four-part coming of age story hit the shelves around the world – suddenly everyone was hit by “Ferrante fever”. The four books follow the lives of the two friends Elena and Lila, from childhood to adulthood, over a period of 50 years. The setting moves through several locations: from the outskirts of Naples to opulent Florence and dreamy island Ischia. Naples is at the heart of the book series. Explore the girls’ neighbourhood Rione Luzzatti, linger around the fashionable Piazza Martiri and make sure to taste sfogliatelle – a shell-shaped filled pastry. When Naples becomes too loud, escape to beautiful Ischia, an island located an hour’s ferry ride away. Florence features heavily in the novels, especially the area around the 14th-century Porta San Niccolò, a three-story gate in the old city wall. Florence is considered the birthplace of the renaissance and walking around the sumptuous buildings, you’ll quickly understand that this city was at the heart of culture, trade and finance in medieval Europe.
All About the Bullerby Children by Astrid Lindgren – Sweden
A typical red wooden cottage in Sevedstorp
Swedish children’s novelist Astrid Lindgren is among the world’s most translated authors. Her stories have not only delighted children all over the world, but have also given her a platform to impact societal change. She was one of the main factors that led to Sweden banning the smacking of children.
One of her many stories, All About the Bullerby Children, follows a group of six children and their daily adventures in a small village in Sweden – Bullerby – during the 1930s. Bullerby, though fictional, shares many similarities with the real village where Lindgren’s father grew up, Sevedstorp. In fact, many of her stories are set in places inspired by the Småland region.
Småland is a holiday haven for both kids and adults. Spend some days in the company of the six Bullerby children and other characters at Astrid Lindgren’s World. Take in a bird’s eye view of Småland’s forests, lakes and wild animals with a zip line tour.
One of Småland’s most recognisable features is the red wooden cottage, also appearing in Lindgren’s stories. Spend a night living the idyllic Swedish life at Oxgarden Cottages (rates start at 1257 SEK [£110] per room, per night).
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton – New Zealand
Hokitika Gorge – a splendour of blue and green
“A kind of weird sci-fi fantasy thing” – this is how Kiwi Eleanor Catton, the youngest author ever to receive the Man Booker Prize, describes her 832-page turner The Luminaries. Part Victorian-era suspense story, part astrology-infused mystery, the novel is set on the South Island of New Zealand during the West Coast Gold Rush of the 1860s.
Start out in coastal town Hokitika and the surrounding goldfields, where main character Walter Moody arrives at the beginning of the book. This small town became one of the most populous settlements during the Gold Rush period, and this heritage is celebrated to this day. Go on a 30-minute guided heritage trail or try your hand at gold panning at Ross Goldfield Information & Heritage Centre.
Pristine nature is all around and ready to be explored. Imagine turquoise water and lush native bush together – and you have the Hokitika Gorge. Take in the Tasman Sea, the snow-capped Southern Alps and the rainforest from the top of the 40-metre Hokitika Tower.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac – USA
Take in the sunset from the Hudson River Park in New York
Kerouac’s iconic book On the Road is a wonderful companion on a coast-to-coast road trip through the US, just like the one main character, Sal Paradise, and his charming friend Dean Moriarty embark on.
Start in New York City with a visit to one of the favourite hangouts of the Beat generation, Village Vanguard, in Greenwich Village. Before heading west, stop by the Hudson River Park and marvel at the sundown over New Jersey.
Up next is Chicago. Drop by The Green Mill, where you’ll enjoy jazz in all its forms, from bebop to avant-garde. Continue your journey to New Orleans where you can take the ferry to Algiers, a charming neighbourhood where you’ll spot Victorian cottages decorated with gingerbread woodwork and find many lovely specialty shops, such as candy store Southern Candymakers. Another great pit stop would be Colorado’s capital Denver, a former Beat hub, with Larimer Street the beating heart of this community. Today it houses hip restaurants, lofty apartments and several microbreweries.
When you finally get to San Francisco, head to Telegraph Hill for spectacular views over the bay area and some quiet thoughts on the journey behind.
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Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami – Japan
Japan’s centre for all things nerdy, Akihabara Electric Town, is all about local peculiarities
Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore recounts the individual journeys of two characters, old man Nakata and 15-year-old runaway Kafka, from Tokyo to the small island of Shikoku. While their journeys through the various cities are mappable, the exact locations are more difficult to pinpoint. But that doesn’t matter much since the evocative and magical storytelling will entice your curiosity about this fascinating country known for combining traditional customs with ultra-modern technology.
Start your journey in the capital city Tokyo. Discover the geek universe of Akihabara Electric Town where you can find a vast collection of electrical appliances and devices as well as comic books and pop culture trinkets. Take the train to Osaka, where you will find one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, Sumiyoshitaisha. Pop by the casual area of Shinsekai for some ‘kushikatsu’ – a dish consisting of various skewered, battered and deep fried foods.
Continue your journey to the charming city of Kobe. Sample some sake in the Nada district, home to several sake breweries, and take a tour of Akashi Kaikyo, the world’s longest suspension bridge.
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The Beach by Alex Garland – Thailand
Let Alex Garland’s The Beach guide you through Thailand’s many sandy beaches
Probably the most famous book set in Thailand and subsequent film adaption starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach follows backpacker Richard on his quest of finding an unspoiled and isolated island only known to a small international community of backpackers. The book captures the eerie and marvellous atmosphere of the Thai islands in such a realistic yet magical way that you’ll get wanderlust as soon as you start reading.
Richard’s – and your – adventure starts in Bangkok’s central Khao San Road. Once hosting a major rice market, today it’s a backpackers’ hangout; here you can find cheap accommodation, a vibrant nightlife and exotic foods (such as barbecued insects).
Following Richard on his journey, you’ll arrive in the Gulf of Thailand. The open sea will take you to various islands: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Samet, Koh Tao just to name a few.
Read more: The 8 best islands in Thailand
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Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie – India
The Taj Mahal reigns as India’s most famous and uncanny landmark
Salman Rushdie’s masterpiece Midnight’s Children depicts the history of modern India through the life of Saleem Sinai, who was born at the exact moment of India’s independence and has telepathic powers that allow him to connect with 1,000 other children born at the same time. With its powerful, poetic and magical narrative, this novel will entice your imagination and get you longing for new travel adventures.
The novel changes locations throughout the Indian subcontinent, from Kashmir to Agra and then Mumbai. Located in a valley and surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountain range, Saleem dreams of the idyllic landscape of Kashmir: the meandering river in Srinagar, the snow-capped mountains of Gulmarg and the meadows of Sonamarg. India’s most famous landmark, the Taj Mahal, makes an appearance in the book as Saleem’s family moves to Agra for a short while. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century in honour of his third wife Mumtaz, this stunning construction is among the Seven Wonders of the World.
The most populous city in India, Mumbai will send you into a whirlwind of emotions and experiences. Home to India’s prolific film industry and an extensive urban tropical forest, Mumbai also features grand colonial-era architecture such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the city’s extravagant Gothic-style train station.
Read more: 14 unmissable places to visit in India
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – England
Stand on Stanage Edge and gaze at the peaceful landscape just like Austen’s heroine does © Rodd1251
Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Elizabeth Bennett, one of five daughters, living in the English countryside during the Pre-Victorian era. Though the locations of the novel are imaginary, Austen was deeply inspired by the real English countryside of among others Hampshire and Derbyshire. With their small villages, rolling hills, meandering country roads and ancient woodlands, you will have no problem in imagining Austen’s characters coming alive here.
Start your journey in Derbyshire. Here you can take a hike through the moorlands of the Peak District National Park and stand on Stanage Edge on Hathersage Moor overlooking the surrounding countryside. Visit the magnificent Chatsworth House, where you can take a stroll through the bright gardens and experience a milking demonstration in the farmyard behind the house.
For devoted Austen fans: visit her home in Chawton (district of Hampshire), her birthplace in Steventon and Basildon Park, which inspired Netherfield Park in the novel.
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Out of Africa by Karen Blixen – Kenya
From fiction to reality: visit Karen Blixen’s house in the Kenyan countryside
Karen Blixen’s poetic rendering of Kenya conjures images of a vast and luxurious landscape and will swiftly awaken your wanderlust. Set in the countryside, by the foot of the Ngong Hills, Out of Africa tells the story of Danish Baroness Blixen on her coffee plantation and her encounters with locals and other Europeans wandering through the country.
Karen Blixen lived in Kenya for 17 years and has surely left her mark on the country. Her former house has been turned into a museum, where you’ll be able to admire her paintings and furniture, but also original equipment from the coffee farm.
A short flight away from Nairobi lies Tsavo National Park, one of the largest and oldest wildlife reserves in Kenya. Here you’ll spot the Big Five – the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard and White/Black rhinoceros. Head to Masai Mara to have a look at the landscape Blixen so vividly captures in her book. Named in honour of the Maasai people, who inhabited this area, this is the perfect place for complete savanna immersion.
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The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende – Chile
The grand Tolhuaca Volcano is just one among many of Chile’s natural marvels
Allende’s debut novel The House of the Spirits follows several generations of the Trueba family and their lives in the Chilean countryside and capital throughout a period of many social and political changes. With its use of magical realism, this book ultimately explores the Chilean identity and landscape, and makes for a captivating read before, during or after a trip to Chile.
Chile is famous for its awe-inspiring nature – from dry deserts to glaciers and volcanoes – and great wines. If you’re keen on wine tasting, plan your own tour to the Casablanca or Colchagua Valley. With a bit of research and a good dictionary, you should be on your way to sampling a tasty Chardonnay in no time.
For flora and fauna contemplation, head to Tolhuaca National Park where you’ll spot among others, Patagonian oak trees, monkey puzzle trees, Pudu deers and the large Magellanic woodpeckers. Not to mention the 2000-metres high Tolhuaca Volcano that dominates the landscape of the park.
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