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Travel Writers Who Inspired My Love of Travel
Here you will discover the writers who can take you around the world without ever leaving your armchair.
Because:
Great travel writing can do something that a conventional travel guide very rarely achieves.
It can make you:
- feel the vibrant atmosphere of a distant city;
- hear the rhythm and sounds of unfamiliar places; and
- experience the world through the eyes of people who have truly lived it.
Over many years of travelling independently — often by train or bus on overland routes — I have discovered a group of writers whose books have shaped the way I see travel.
- Some are classic travel writers who document real journeys across continents.
- Others are novelists whose fictional worlds first sparked my fascination with distant places.
What they all share, though, is a rare ability to make you want to explore.
The following are my favourite travel writers and storytellers.
You can click on any writer to discover their story, explore their books, and choose which title you want to order to start your journey of discovery.
My Favourite Real Life Travel Writers
These are writers whose real-life journeys and observations have had a lasting influence on my view of travel.
Dervla Murphy
Dervla’s writings capture the spirit of fearless solo travel, while undertaking some of the greatest overland journeys ever recorded in print.
She is one of the most respected travel writers of the modern era, known for her uncompromising approach to independent travel.
Long before “slow travel” became a concept, she was living it — cycling across continents, travelling alone through remote regions, and immersing herself in the everyday lives of the people she met.
Her books are honest, direct and deeply immersive accounts of real journeys.
Paul Theroux
Paul, through his travel writings, demonstrates time and time again that the journey is often more interesting than the destination.
He is one of the most influential travel writers of the modern time, best known for his long-distance rail journeys and sharp observational style.
His writing focuses on the experience of travel itself — the trains, buses, border crossings and people encountered along the way.
Nick Danziger
Nick’s travel books go well beyond the normal tourist trail, examining travel in Afghanistan, social deprivation in the UK and many other issues.
Nick Danziger is both a travel writer and photographer who explores places from the perspective of the people who live there. His writings are far removed from conventional tourism.
His work often focuses on human stories, offering a deeper look at life in different parts of the world.
Patrick Leigh Fermor
Patrick set out to walk across Europe and turned his travels into great works of literature.
He is renowned for being one of the greatest literary travel writers, famous for his extraordinary journey on foot.
His writing combines travel, history, culture and beautifully observed detail.
My Favourite Fictional Travel Writers
Not all travel inspiration comes from real journeys.
Some of the most powerful influences on my interest in travel came from fiction — stories that opened up imaginary worlds and distant places.
John Steinbeck
Steinbeck is synonymous with America, the open road and journeys through everyday life
His writing captures the spirit of travel across America, focusing on people, landscapes and social change.
His work often feels like a journey through both geography and society.
J. R. R. Tolkien
Tolkien is the all-time master of the imaginary journey that inspires real-world exploration.
Tolkien’s Middle-earth may be fictional, but its landscapes, maps and journeys have inspired generations of readers to think about travel and exploration in new ways.
Which Travel Writer Should You Start With?
If you are new to the world of travel writers, here are some simple starting points:
For independent solo travel and adventure in far-flung places:
For long journeys across continents, rail travel and a commentary on social change:
For more familiar travel, in Europe and wider afield, all captured in a wonderful literary style:
For travel beyond the tourist trail, that raises the social conscience:
For fictional travel-based novels of hardship and survival set within North America:
For fictional and inspirational stories of travel based in imaginary lands:
Discover Their Books
Each of the writers featured here has a dedicated page on Dave’s Travel World.
On these pages you can:
- Learn more about their lives and journeys
- Discover their most important books
- Find recommendations on where to start
- Access links to purchase their work
Explore the Authors
👉 Dervla Murphy — Biography and Books
👉 Paul Theroux — Biography and Books
👉 Nick Danziger — Biography and Books
👉 Patrick Leigh Fermor — Biography and Books
👉 John Steinbeck — Biography and Books
👉 J. R. R. Tolkien — Biography and Books
A Final Thought
Travel writing is not just about places.
It is about people, journeys, experiences and the way we see the world.
These writers all offer different perspectives, but they share one thing in common:
They make you want to explore.
Sometimes that means booking a flight.
Sometimes it simply means opening a book.
Where Will Your Next Journey Begin?
👉 Explore Patrick Leigh Fermor
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