Travel stories gifts

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig is a profound and captivating journey that deftly weaves together a father-son road trip with a deep philosophical exploration. The narrative follows the author and his young son, Chris, as they embark on an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip across America's Pacific Northwest. As they traverse the open roads, the story...

The hilarious number one bestselling memoir from YouTube sensation Chris Broad, a Brit trying to assimilate into life in Japan as he unravels the wonders and eccentricities of one of the world's most mysterious cultures. When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan, he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the...

Discover 200 of the greatest runs on the planet, across all seven continents, in this beautiful paperback edition of our bestselling hardback, featuring easy-access park runs and city loops to iconic marathons and epic ultras. Explore the world with 50 first-hand accounts of running adventures as told by those who enjoy breaking a sweat as they traverse new landscapes. With...

A Journey for the Ages The Pilgrimage paved the way to Paulo Coelho’s international bestselling novel The Alchemist. In many ways, these two volumes are companions— to truly comprehend one, you must read the other. Step inside this captivating account of Coelho’s pilgrimage along the road to Santiago. This fascinating parable explores the need to find one’s own path. In...

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is an enchanting and hysterical account of one man's attempt to reconnect with nature. Setting out to hike the legendary Appalachian Trail, Bryson and his quirky companion, Stephen Katz, tackle the nearly 2,200-mile footpath that stretches from Georgia to Maine. This journey is more than just a test of their endurance; it's...

A brilliant and original book... Everybody should read it - Guardian Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974, transforming a generation and continuing to inspire millions. A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, the book...

In Down Under, Bill Bryson takes readers on a fascinating, hilarious, and vividly-entertaining journey through the vast and diverse landscape of Australia. From the vivid red deserts of the Outback to the lush rainforests of Queensland and the bustling metropolises of Sydney and Melbourne, Bryson’s travels showcase the contrasts and unique aspects of this extraordinary continent. His wit, curiosity, and...

Get ready for a journey through every country in the world. In this fourth edition of The Travel Book, each country features an all-new profile that includes details of when to visit, what to see and do, and how to learn more about the country’s culture through its film, music, food, and drink. All brand-new, incredible photography illustrates each country,...

From the author of the number one bestselling Abroad in Japan, Journey Across Japan is the essential guide to all 47 prefectures of the Land of the Rising Sun. Japan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with millions flocking to the Land of the Rising Sun every month. Despite this, everyone follows the same cookie-cutter...

Underland by Robert Macfarlane is a captivating and profound exploration of the subterranean world that lies beneath our feet. This Sunday Times bestselling masterpiece takes readers on an unforgettable journey, delving deep into the hidden realms of the earth – from the intricate mycelial networks through which trees communicate, to the icy blue depths of glacial moulins. This mesmerising voyage...

“Michael Portillo can be seen on screens on his second railway journey across the United States. His first took in historic East Coast sites, but these new travels are broader in scope, from the cities of the Atlantic coast to vibrant San Francisco, via Chicago, Colorado, New Mexico, and the Deep South. His route is informed by the 19th-century Appletons’...

Now a major film, this is the true story of an unlikely friendship between a flightless bird and a teacher out of his depth. When schoolteacher Tom Michell pulls a penguin from an oil slick off the coast of Uruguay, he has no idea what to do. Back at his apartment, Tom cleans him, but upon returning to the beach,...

“Packed with insights and knowledge from Lonely Planet experts so that you can make your dream trip happen” - Sydney Morning Herald The definitive bucket list travel guide featuring 100 dream trips across the world - packed with insights and knowledge from Lonely Planet experts so you can make them happen. Adventures throughout the book feature spectacular photography, the ideal...

In Neither Here, Nor There, Bill Bryson takes readers on an insightful and laugh-out-loud journey across Europe, recounting his adventures and misadventures with trademark wit and humour. This entertaining travelogue sees Bryson retracing the steps of his youthful travels as a student, but now with the wisdom (and perhaps cynicism) of middle age. Starting from the northern reaches of Hammerfest,...

One sunny spring morning in the 1970s, an unlikely Englishman embarked on a remarkable pilgrimage that would see him traverse the entire length of Japan. Setting out from Soya, the northernmost tip of the country, Alan Booth journeyed on foot all the way to Cape Sata in the extreme south. This prodigious trek spanned 2,000 miles and took Booth across...

The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald offers a captivating exploration of both the external and internal landscapes that define our existence. The narrative begins as a straightforward account of a walking tour through the haunted coastal regions of East Anglia. Sebald embarks on this solitary journey on foot, moving from Lowestoft to Southwold to Bungay. As he traverses the...

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson is a captivating journey through Britain, offering a delightful and humorous exploration of the country's charm and quirks. Twenty years after the release of his landmark travel book, Notes from a Small Island, Bryson returns to traverse the length and breadth of his adopted homeland. This time, he sets out on a...

Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson is a delightfully entertaining exploration of one man's deep affection for Britain. The book opens with Bryson's decision to leave his beloved home in North Yorkshire for a few years to return to the United States with his family. Before departing, however, he embarks on a farewell tour of Britain, determined to...

On the same day his wife gave birth to twins, Anthony Doerr received the Rome Prize, an honour that provided him a year-long stipend and studio in the heart of Rome. This unique confluence of events set the stage for Four Seasons in Rome, a beautifully crafted memoir that captures Doerr's year-long sojourn in one of the world's most enchanted...

In 1960, nearly 60 years old and feeling detached from the landscapes and people of America, Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck embarked on a bold journey to reconnect with his homeland. He set out in a custom-built three-quarter-ton pickup truck, which he fondly named Rocinante after Don Quixote's noble steed. Aboard this miniature ship’s cabin and with only his loyal...

Lonely Planet Central Asia unveils the secrets of this captivating region through the insights of local travel experts, ensuring you’re fully prepared to plan the trip of a lifetime. Discover both popular attractions and hidden gems, from spending a night in an authentic yurt in the high eastern Pamirs, to hiking through the unforgettable Bartang Valley, and bargaining for goods...

Chiara Terzuolo takes us on a journey through Tokyo and its surrounding cities, uncovering the hidden treasures that lie beneath the well-trodden hustle and bustle of one of the world’s most-travelled destinations. From tucked-away bars to quirky vending machines, themed walks to secret tea houses, Hidden Japan is your guide to the art of wandering off the beaten path. With...

Put on your running shoes - it's time to hit the road, the trails and the great outdoors. In this comprehensive runner's companion, you'll find 50 of the world's greatest running routes - from short city runs and must-do marathons to cross-country trails and challenging ultras - plus a further 150 courses around the globe to satisfy runners of all...

Discover the best of Europe—one weekend at a time—with this collection of 100 short trip itineraries with maps to feed your wanderlust and inspire your next getaway. Explore Vienna’s vines, Umbria’s hilltop towns, and Oxford’s literary legends with 100 carefully plotted and mapped travel itineraries featuring epic escapes to discrete islands; hidden and unexpected sides of well-known destinations; fun family...

The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson is an uproariously entertaining travelogue that takes readers on a rollicking road trip through small-town America. In this classic piece of travel literature, Bryson embarks on a nostalgic journey across the United States, tracing the contours of his youth and searching for the idyllic small town of his childhood memories. Growing up in Des...

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux is a captivating travelogue that chronicles the author's epic journey by rail across Asia. This remarkable narrative details Theroux's exploits on some of the most iconic and legendary train routes in the world. From the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, and the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, to the Golden Arrow to Kuala...

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle is an enchanting and humorous memoir that chronicles a year in the life of an English couple who make the bold decision to settle in the idyllic southern region of France. Upon purchasing a 200-year-old farmhouse in the picturesque Luberon, they soon discover that their dream home comes with an array of unexpected...

An inspiring story of one woman's solo adventures around the world, from top YouTuber and travel filmmaker Eva zu Beck. Eva has it all— a high-flying job, a picture-perfect marriage, a lifestyle that many would aspire to. Yet she can't shake the feeling that she is living someone else's dream. After hitting rock bottom, she buys a one-way ticket to...

Vintage Voyages- A world of journeys, from the tallest mountains to the depths of the mind. Colin Thubron's beautiful prose unfolds along the Silk Road, unearthing a richly layered past on his most ambitious journey. On buses, donkey carts, trains, jeeps and camels, Colin Thubron traces the drifts of the first great trade route out of the heart of China...

A stunning work of natural history, science, and polar travelogue, Where the Earth Meets the Sky is a chronicle of one conservation biologist's time in Antarctica, the most isolated place on the planet. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and most inaccessible part of our planet-and now one of the places most affected by climate change. In this moving narrative, conservation...

NOW A MAJOR MOVIE STARRING ZAC EFRON, RUSSELL CROWE AND BILL MURRAY 'An extraordinary story.' - Daily Mail 'An unforgettable, wild ride from start to finish.' - John Bruning 'The astounding true story - from the streets of Manhattan to the jungles of Vietnam.' - Thomas Kelly IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME. As a result of...

‘My favourite book about the wilderness’ Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild In this shimmering masterpiece of American nature writing, Edward Abbey ventures alone into the canyonlands of Moab, Utah, to work as a seasonal ranger for the United States National Park Service. Living out of a trailer, Abbey captures in rapt, poetic prose the landscape of the desert; a world...

On the surface, Pōrangahau is a classic Aotearoa coastal village. Across the river bridge, a turn-of-the-century timber hotel stands prominent. Opposite, a blindingly blue Tip Top dairy serves ice cream, fish’n’chips, and mail. The corner garage has a car on one hoist, a tractor on the other, and a quad bike waiting its turn. Past the fire station, the wharenui-like...

City of Djinns by William Dalrymple is a captivating exploration of one of the world's most intriguing cities. Spanning a year in Delhi, Dalrymple embarks on a journey tracing the city’s vast history, delving into its numerous incarnations over the millennia. Each layer of Delhi's history is meticulously peeled back, revealing a rich mosaic of cultures, stories, and legends that...

I heard the rustle again, too close and too real to ignore. I clutched the flashlight, stuck my head out of the mosquito net... and found myself face-to-face with a jaguar. Four travellers meet in Bolivia and set off into the heart of the Amazon rainforest to find a hidden tribe and explore places tourists only dream of seeing. But...

Lonely Planet Fiji by Anirban Mahapatra, Chantae Reden, and Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveals all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Fiji. Discover popular and off-the-beaten-track experiences from snorkelling with blacktip and whitetip reef sharks in Kuata, to hiking the wilderness trail of Lavena Coastal Walk to find beautiful hidden beaches, and visiting...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER • USA TODAY BESTSELLER In this beautifully written, vividly detailed memoir, a young woman chronicles her adventures traveling across the deserts of the American West in an orange van named Bertha and reflects on an unconventional approach to life. A woman defined by motion, Brianna Madia bought a beat-up bright orange...

See London in a completely new light in this guide to the city's hidden secrets, untold stories, and special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself! London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street...

In Patagonia is a captivating travel memoir by the renowned British author Bruce Chatwin. This vividly written book chronicles Chatwin’s journey through the remote and enigmatic region of Patagonia, located at the southern tip of South America. Driven by a childhood curiosity about the region, Chatwin embarks on an expedition to uncover the elusive legends and tales that cloak this...

Michael Palin recreates the extraordinary life and tragic death of a First World War soldier - his great-uncle Harry. I cannot remember the last time I read a book so immediately absorbing and affecting. Michael Palin has never been better - which is, of course, saying a great deal. BILL BRYSON From the time, many years ago, when Michael Palin...

Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer is an extraordinary tale of endurance, adventure, and friendship that provides a rare glimpse into the secluded world of Tibet during a tumultuous epoch. The story recounts the incredible journey of Austrian climber Heinrich Harrer, who finds himself imprisoned in India by the British at the outbreak of the Second World War. Following...

The perfect gift for book lovers This book is packed with wanderlust fuel for the adventurous book addict. — Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights, Bath If you've ever planned a trip around a bookshop, sought out a hidden library, or detoured for a literary landmark, this book is for you. Created by people who feel the same, A World...

Lonely Planet Southeast Asia

A beautiful foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Alison Lester's classic and bestselling picture book about a family's road trip around Australia. CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL 2005 PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR The year I turned eight, Mum and Dad took us on a trip around Australia. Luke, Billy and I missed school for the whole winter term....

The Garden of the Gods by Gerald Durrell is a cherished account of his childhood in Corfu, now available in Penguin Modern Classics for the first time. "My collection of animals swelled to a point where even Mother occasionally grew alarmed." The island of Corfu, where the Durrell family live in agreeable chaos, is paradise for aspiring naturalist Gerald. His...

Shred the snow with this thrilling collection of 200 epic winter adventures around the world. Zip down the iconic Canadian Rockies or visit Sweden's original ice hotel for an arctic sleepover. With 50 first-person stories from travellers and famous figures like Arianna Tricomi and Bode Miller, you'll find inspiration for a lifetime of snowy trips. Scale majestic frozen waterfalls in...

Lonely Planet's Borneo is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the region has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Dive with sea turtles on the Semporna Archipelago, visit the water village of Kampung Ayer, or hang with the orangutans at Tanjung Puting National Park; all with your trusted travel companion. Inside Lonely Planet's Borneo...

Richly illustrated with hundreds of colour photos, Japan Traveler's Companion delves beyond the gaze of traditional guidebooks to uncover the country's rich culinary traditions, pop culture, Samurai heritage, and much more. The book brings Japan to life, highlighting the most interesting places to visit in every region of the country. Author Rob Goss is an award-winning travel writer who has...

Notes From A Big Country by Bill Bryson is a delightful and hilarious journey of rediscovery as Bryson, one of the world's best-loved travel writers, returns to the United States after nearly two decades in England. This book captures his attempt to embrace the American Dream while providing a witty and often bemused examination of the quirks and eccentricities of...

The author takes the reader into rural Japan in the footsteps of the much-travelled poet Basho (1644-1694). Ranging far beyond the usual tourist traps, he explores easily accessible temples and shrines, delights in Japan’s unique regional cuisine and engages with interesting people.The result is a beautifully illustrated and absorbing essay on topics such as the place of Buddhism and Shintoism...

A celebration of how we eat now, Benton captures a Britain in flux' Matthew Ryle 'Ben writes about food in Britain with love, curiosity and joy' Max Halley Isn't British food meant to be bad? Stiff sandwiches, limp vegetables, dry roasts crying out for gravy. We've come a long way from the bad old days. Modern Britain is a vibrant...

In 1971, a band of young English and colonial adventurers piled into an old Bedford truck called Monty and set out from London with little money, no plan, and a hunger for something bigger than home. Over four unforgettable months, they crossed deserts and borders, jungles and cities, travelling from Morocco to Durban and learning, sometimes the hard way, what...

'Well researched, emotive and hugely entertaining' Guillem Balague 'Wonderful. Perfect for anyone who loves football but has forgotten why' Joey D'Urso 'This book is a joy to read' Max Rushden A treasure trove of new and untouched stories Suzy Wrack Have you ever heard of the football club founded by ex-KGB officers, the 21-time champions of Moldova? How about the...

Discover 30 inspirational stories from solo travelling women who have experienced amazing adventures around the world - alone. Packed with candid first-person accounts from brilliant women including a retired nomad, a keen cyclist, a circus artist, a woman celebrating sobriety, a college graduate, and many more. This is the ultimate travel guide to encourage and inspire budding female globetrotters to...

Lonely Planet's Journey North Coast 500 brings you closer to the culture and history of one of the world's great adventures. Feast on fresh seafood from local villages, explore subtropical gardens, and kayak across lochs, using our expert travel writers, detailed maps, and insightful tips to ensure you never miss a moment of this bucket-list trip. Lonely Planet's Journey North...

Lonely Planet Cambodia's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Cambodia. Discover popular and off-the-beaten-track experiences from spotting dolphins on the Mekong Discovery Trail, to exploring the castaway-cool archipelago of Koh Sdach, and visiting the Sosoro Museum to learn about the history of money in Cambodia. Build a trip to...

In Somebody is Walking on Your Grave, Mariana Enriquez blends journalistic rigour and her fascination with the macabre as we encounter famous graveyards steeped in history, such as Montparnasse in Paris, Highgate in London, and the Jewish cemetery in Prague, as well as more remote, decrepit, hidden, or secretly beautiful ones. These pages are full of the graves of famous...

Peach Street to Lobster Lane is described by Tim Spector as "a glorious freewheel through the culinary quirks and delights of the USA – an unmissable treat!" When the nation’s ‘taster-in-chief’ Felicity Cloake announced her dream to cycle across America, the reactions were… mixed: “You’ll get squashed,” warned a Californian colleague. “You’ll be murdered,” added her mum. Friends panicked: “But…...

When Rachel Cusk decides to travel to Italy for a summer with her husband and two young children, she has no idea of the trials and wonders that lie in store. Their journey leads them to both the expected and the surprising, all seen through Cusk's sharp and humane perspective. The Last Supper offers a vivid and reflective account of...

Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. See my hand up-tipped, learn the secret of my human heart... Soaring, freewheeling snapshots of life on the road across America, from the Beat writer who inspired a generation.

New to the Penguin Pocket Hardbacks series - books that have changed the history of thought, in sumptuous, clothbound editions. In his perfectly crafted haiku poems, Basho described the natural world with great simplicity and delicacy of feeling. When he composed The Narrow Road to the Deep North he was a serious student of Zen Buddhism, setting off on a...

In his perfectly crafted haiku poems, Basho described the natural world with great simplicity and delicacy of feeling. These travel writings not only chronicle Basho's perilous journeys through Japan, but they also capture his vision of eternity in the transient world around him. The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches showcases Basho's exceptional ability to portray...

Craig Potton rose to prominence as a photographer in the late 1980s, with a distinct and original view of the landscape of New Zealand. As a photographer with little interest in a sentimentalised view of the land, he pursued a less compromising and more muscular vision that sought to convey this country's remarkable landscape in a real light. In the...

Discover twice the place in half the time as Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the ultimate short trip to Naples & the Amalfi Coast. This latest edition uncovers Naples & the Amalfi Coast's most popular experiences and unexpected surprises, from dedicating a day to exploring Pompeii to embarking on a challenging trek...

An iconic bestseller, The Motorcycle Diaries is Che Guevara's account of his youthful adventures travelling around South America on his motorcycle. "All we could see was the dust on the road ahead and ourselves on the bike, devouring kilometres in our flight northward" In late 1951, Guevara and Alberto Granado set off on the 500cc Norton they nicknamed La Poderosa...

From the moment Karen Blixen arrived in Kenya in 1914 to manage a coffee plantation, her heart belonged to Africa. Drawn to the intense colours and ravishing landscapes, Karen Blixen spent her happiest years on the farm, and her experiences and friendships with the people around her are vividly recalled in these memoirs. Out of Africa is the story of...

The updated edition of a travel classic. Twenty years ago, Joe Bennett hitchhiked the length and breadth of New Zealand. The result was A Land of Two Halves, a portrait of the country and its many contradictions that is as telling today as it was then. For as Joe says in his reintroduction to this classic road trip, the name...

Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux is an enthralling account of the author's intrepid journey from Cairo to Cape Town, undertaken against the backdrop of Africa's vibrant, but often harsh landscapes. Travelling by trains, buses, and boats, as well as by hitchhiking and on foot, Theroux's overland expedition sees him venturing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique,...

Immerse yourself in the unparalleled beauty and cultural depth of Japan with Another Kyoto, an evocative and definitive exploration of the city’s rich heritage. This meticulously crafted guide is the culmination of Alex Kerr’s fifty years of living in Japan, enriched by insights and stories from a diverse array of individuals he has encountered, including artists, Zen monks, Shinto priests,...

At the age of twenty-two, William Dalrymple sets out from his college in Cambridge on an ambitious journey to the storied ruins of Kublai Khan's stately pleasure dome in Xanadu. In In Xanadu, Dalrymple embarks on an epic quest across the breadth of Asia, traversing ancient, dusty roads, and weaving through a tapestry of diverse cultures and landscapes. His odyssey...

But why do you go to Japan? 'I have been attempting to answer this question ever since 1989. Usually the eyes of the questioner glaze over and the subject is quickly dropped. However, as friends, acquaintances and even people I'd never met came to know of the frequency of my visits, I was asked for advice about where to go...

Of Walking in Ice is Herzog's existential journey through a hostile winter landscape, one of the great modern pilgrimages. It is a record of physical suffering, hallucination, ecstatic revelation, portents and animals, and the wreckage of history and myth. The work has the eerie power of the best fairytales, hitting you with the force of dreams and leaving you with...

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'As a chronicle of an extraordinary friendship between man and animal, and its unexpected consequences, it's entirely delightful' DAILY MAIL 'This uplifting retelling of their adventures together proves a welcome tonic' THE SUN 'Heartwarming and utterly charming' GUARDIAN 'A heart-warming and captivating travelogue' 'A gorgeous book about their adventures, complete with photos that will melt your...

Every year night skies get 10% brighter. Light pollution is erasing the stars. In Nightfaring, travel writer and ‘dark sky’ advocate Megan Eaves travels the world to better understand our deep connection with the night sky and what we stand to lose when we lose darkness. She explores the environmental consequences of light pollution, which is disrupting the migration patterns...

In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother Micah set off on a three-week trip around the world. An adventure by any measure, this trip was especially meaningful as it marked another milestone in the life journey of two brothers who, by their early thirties, were the only surviving members of their family. As Nicholas and Micah travel the globe,...

New to Penguin Classics In 1933 Robert Byron began a journey through the Middle East via Beirut, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Teheran to Oxiana—the country of the Oxus, the ancient name for the river Amu Darya which forms part of the border between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. The Road to Oxiana offers not only a wonderful record of his adventures,...

'Byrne comes across like a post-punk Michael Palin.' - The Times 'An engaging book; part-diary, part-manifesto.' - Observer Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne, co-founder of the group Talking Heads, explores his unique immersion into urban landscapes around the world through cycling. Since the 1980s, Byrne has used a bicycle as his principal means of transportation. He even takes a folding...

In his most autobiographical novel to date, Paulo Coelho interweaves adventure, philosophy, and the true stories of his own life to give readers an essential book for our time. A journey to the past. A map for the future. Drawing on the rich experience of his own life, bestselling author Paulo Coelho relives the dreams of a generation that longed...

Now a limited Netflix series starring Zoe Saldana! This Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller is “a captivating story of love lost and found” (Kirkus Reviews) set in the lush Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hours. It was love at first sight when...