Books to inspire your wanderlust
Four out of every five holidaymakers think that it isn't a real holiday without a book to read - and we have to agree. With more time to spare on holidays - and plenty of places to lounge - there's no better feeling than cracking open that book you've been meaning to get to. (That new book smell makes us instantly feel more relaxed.)
On our river cruises, the sun deck is the perfect place to lay back and dive into a new world - although we can't promise you won't get distracted by the views of some of Europe's most beautiful waterways. And the bar is always close by, should you want to sip on a refreshing glass of wine while you're at it. And if you forget to pack a book - or you finish the one you brought - on most of our ships, you can find books to borrow in our reception or lounge area. Technophiles will be happy to know that there's complimentary Wi-Fi on most of our ships too, so if you finish your digital book - or audiobook - you can download another at the touch of a button.
For those with strong stomachs who don't suffer from motion sickness reading is also a great way to stay occupied on longer journeys. Those opting for no-fly holidays can spend the train ride catching up on the latest spy thriller - or the genre of your choosing. And you can enjoy access to free internet on the Eurostar and TGV trains, so you're never without entertainment.
And even if you can't make it on holiday at the moment, here are a few page-turners to satisfy your wanderlust and get you dreaming of pastures new.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.
One of the most-read books in recent history, if you haven’t yet, it’s one to put on your list. The story follows a young shepherd boy from Spain who, after a recurring dream, embarks on a journey seeking treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. It’s a classic novel of love, ambition and self-discovery.
If this piques your curiosity, you'll love our holidays to Egypt.
The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
Set in Lisbon in 1904, this is a fascinating tale of Tomás, a young academic researcher following the recent loss of several members of his family. He discovers an old journal which hints at the existence of an extraordinary artifact that if found, would redefine history. A story about grief and both our physical and emotional reactions to it, he sets out on a journey into Portugal’s high mountains in search of this strange treasure.
While there aren't actually any high mountains in Spain - at 2351 metres tall, the highest peak is on the island of Azores, southeast of mainland Portugal, and is called Mount Pico - the book has a wistfulness that will have you dreaming of seeing Portugal for yourself and you can with our holidays to Portugal.
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim
We know the world only through the window of our mind. When our mind is noisy, the world is as well. And when our mind is peaceful, the world is, too. Knowing our minds is just as important as trying to change the world.
This best-selling mindfulness guide by a renowned Buddhist and meditation expert teaches us whilst the world moves fast, it doesn’t mean we have to. A perfect holiday read, its wise advice reminds us of the importance of slowing down and enjoying time to reflect, for our inner peace and well-being amid the overwhelming demands of everyday life.
Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris
Winner of several prizes, this debut work is an enthralling travelogue and memoir of the author’s journey by bicycle along the legendary Silk Road. Through its examination of the stories borders tell, and the restrictions they place on nature and humanity, it’s a thought-provoking account which dares us to challenge the limits we place on ourselves and the natural world – as well as reminding us of the existential need we have to explore.
And if this makes you dream of exploring the Silk Road yourself, you can with Riviera Travel.
The Road Less Travelled from Dorling Kindersley with a forward from Bill Bryson
A handy guide to avoid the crowds and the well-worn tourist trail, and instead discover the lesser-known wonders of the world. If you’re looking for something different, this is a beautifully illustrated book revealing some of the world’s best off-the-beaten-track sights, experiences and destinations we should consider for our next trip.
Paris Echo by Sebastian Faulks
Set in 2006, this tale of injustice and betrayal follows Hannah, a thirty-one-year-old American post-doctoral researcher looking into the lives of women during the German Occupation of Paris in 1940-44, and Tariq, a nineteen-year-old Moroccan in search of adventure. Faulks’ affection for the city shines through, taking the reader back in time as both main characters fight to preserve their integrity and their sanity and find their future shaped by the lives of the dead - the ghosts lurking around every corner of the capital’s beautiful avenues.
If you want to fall in love with the capital of France and explore its history, you can with Riviera Travel.
A Woman Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe edited by Faith Conlon, Ingrid Emerick and Christina Henry de Tessan
For those of us who’ve always wanted to try solo travel but haven’t yet dared, this book is for you. Applying rationale to the what-ifs that can often deter us from taking the plunge and going it alone, this book is an insightful and humorous read. This collection of tales from thrill-seeking female travellers provides a funny, exciting, occasionally terrifying, but ultimately transformative series of accounts as they navigate some of the most unusual destinations on the planet.
If you like the thought of travelling alone but don't want to be lonely, check out our solo holidays.
All the Lights We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.
A heart-warming story of a young French girl and a German orphan boy whose lives collide whilst trying to survive the devastating effects of the Second World War. From Paris under Nazi occupation to the historic walled city of Saint-Malo and a mining town in rural Germany, it illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. If you enjoy the book, look out for the TV drama series to be released later this year on Netflix.
Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town by Paul Theroux
The wish to disappear sends many travellers away. If you are thoroughly sick of being kept waiting at home or at work, travel is perfect: let other people wait for a change.
Through bush and desert, down rivers and across lakes, Theroux visits some of the most beautiful and dangerous landscapes on earth on a journey of discovery and rediscovery. The ultimate safari, he experiences the people and places he knew as a young teacher forty years before, finding contentment in the simplest of pleasures along the way.
If you're looking for an African adventure, we offer everything from river cruises that take you to the iconic landmarks of Egypt to safaris in search of South Africa's Big Five.
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
Almost immediately after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years is terminally ill, they also lose their home and livelihood. Remarkably they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the spectacular Southwest Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. Where hope overcomes despair, this life-affirming true story reminds us of the healing power of the natural world.
The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah
The backstreet cafe in Casablanca was for me a place of mystery, a place with a soul, a place with danger. There was a sense that the safety nets had been cut away, that each citizen walked upon the high wire of this, the real world.
Hilarious and harrowing, this is the entertaining story of one family's fascinating move from London to the sun-baked Moroccan city of Casablanca. From Tangier to Marrakech and the Sahara Desert, we follow the author on his travels in this alluring and exotic country, where Islamic tradition and African folklore converge and watch the family as they cope with a new culture and all that comes with it.
Explore Casablanca for yourself with Riviera Travel:
The Lost City of Z by David Grann
The famous British explorer Fawcett obsessively explored the Amazon for years in search of a civilisation he christened the City of Z. In 1925, Fawcett headed into the wilderness with his son Jack, vowing to make history but they vanished without a trace. For the next 80 years, explorers scoured the jungle trying to find evidence of both the city and what happened. Some died in the process whilst others simply disappeared. Here the author unravels one of the greatest mysteries of exploration.
You can experience the Peruvian Amazon basin with a night-night stay at an eco-lodge in the jungle on our Peru with Amazon tour
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.
Another funny read from this renowned travel writer who fell in love with the driest, flattest, hottest, most infertile and climatically aggressive of all the inhabited continents, Australia. Highlighting the extrovert, quick-witted people, safe, clean cities, excellent food and cold beer, all in almost wall-to-wall sunshine, it’s sure to inspire you to travel to the other side of the world.
If you want to experience Australia for yourself, you can on our new tour:
Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams
On a globe it looks like a swollen California. Within that space, though, are twenty-thousand-foot peaks, the world’s deepest canyon (twice as deep as the Grand Canyon), unmapped Amazon jungle and the driest desert on earth.
In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed the Andes in Peru and 'discovered' the famed archaeological site. While history has subsequently cast doubt on his achievements, this is the story of the author’s decision as an inexperienced adventurer to retrace the explorer's perilous path. Never even having slept in a tent, Adams' acclaimed account will thrill all as he travels through these remote and historic hills in search of the truth.
Is Machu Picchu on your bucket list? Join us on our new South America with Peru tour and you can cross it off your list - along with a way range of off-the-beaten track experiences you might not have heard of and you'll never forget.
Don't wait to get out there and see the world - start ticking destinations off your bucket list.
