15 Coffee Table Travel Books That Will Inspire Your Next Vacation

If you’re aching to go somewhere but can’t exactly swing a trip at the moment, flipping through the pages of a few coffee table travel books is the next best thing. Such books tend to be chock-full of gorgeous photography that they may even cure your travel bug. Not to mention, these often enormous books also happen to be great design accessories. Simply stack a few of your favorites—starting with the biggest and working your way up—on your coffee table, and you’ve created an aesthetic.

Luckily, there are as many cool coffee table travel books as there are chic cities, so you'll have plenty to choose from. That said, when picking out a coffee table book—especially the one on top of the pile—be sure to opt for the piece with the best cover. This may be the only circumstance under which you should judge a book by its cover. After all, it’s strategically placed to be the first thing you see when you’re on the sofa.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best coffee table travel books with covers as elegant as the photos within. From Slim Aarons’s vintage images of the Italian coast to colorful illustrations of America’s national parks, the trendy tomes ahead are perfect for globe-trotters and homebodies alike. Plus, they make for great gifts—no matter the occasion or the recipient. You could also snag a stylish one for yourself to enjoy whenever you’re in need of some escapism.