Those of us with the travel bug always have a wish list of scenic places, fascinating cultures and exciting adventures that we hope to experience in our lifetimes – a bucket list, if you will. Mine is a mile long and it seems that for every one that I have the good fortune to enjoy, two or more are added to the list. One of my strongest travel inspirations is a great travel book that tells an enticing story involving distant lands and distinctive cultures. Whether I’m whiling away a layover in an airport, lounging on a Caribbean beach or at home on a rainy day, I always have a book nearby. If I can’t be physically on my way to some awesome adventure, I want to visit vicariously through the pages of travel literature.

In a slight departure from sharing destinations and experiences I’ve enjoyed in real life, but in the interest in sharing “tips for living the art of travel,” I’d like to share some popular travel books, both fiction and memoirs, that might inspire your travel wish list.

• The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway – A master landscape writer, Hemingway takes us through Spain in the company of drunken expats, from the excitement of Running with the Bulls in Pamplona to the peacefulness of the sleepy fishing village of Burguete.
• Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson – The best-selling American humorist and travel writer explains Britain to the British with his signature wit and the insider perspective of having spent 20 years in England.
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – Set in southern India, this award-winning novel depicts the controversial subject of “love laws” and the effect they had on the childhood and later lives of the twin protagonists.
• Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata – In this classic, the lonely beauty of northern Japan plays a role in a doomed love affair between a Tokyo sophisticate and a geisha from the backwoods who represents Japan’s negelected yet enduring native culture.
• The Beach by Alex Garland – This is the story of a young backpacker in Thailand who finds a secret community on an idyllic beach untouched by tourists but over time, life there takes a sinister turn. 
• A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi – A true story, filled with the food and flavors of Italy, about an American food writer finding unexpected love in Venice and her struggles to understand the social conventions of Venetian culture as she makes her life with her Italian love.
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson – The factual account of a failed mountain climbing expedition that compelled the author to devote his life to reducing poverty and promoting education for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle – This amusing and honest look at the weather, language, food and work customs of the area is a guide to how living in Provence is different than being a visitor.

You might be wondering how could I have left out the life-altering travel experiences of Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) or Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun)? Well, I could go on forever because there are so many wonderful travel books to inspire our wanderlust, but for more excellent works, check Condé Nast Traveler’s list of The 69 Greatest Fiction Travel Books of All Time or to share your own favorites with your Facebook friends, try the GoodReads app.

Let us know what travel books have you itching to go in the comments below, and then contact Covington Travel’s vacation specialists to make it happen!