Looking for books about European travel? You have come to the right place. In this post, you will find a list, including the best books set in Europe.
A trip to Europe – anywhere in Europe – is steeped in history and culture. While you may not be able to travel to your dream country in Europe, you can certainly experience a different kind of visit between the pages of a book.
While I’ve traveled all over the world on my sailboat, there are so many places I haven’t been to, and since getting to Europe isn’t in my short-term plans, I have to adventure there in a book. But the great news is that I’ve read almost a thousand books in my lifetime, and I have ten incredible books of modern fiction set in various countries in Europe that I recommend.
No matter your genre, no matter your location, here are ten books that can have you exploring the European country of your choice in minutes.
European Travel Books: The Best Books Set In Europe
1. England Travel: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
When one thinks of England, one tends to think of the royal family. Millions tune in to watch royal weddings, especially when a royal prince marries a commoner. It’s a real-life fairy tale.
That’s what we get in this romance novel inspired by Prince William and Kate Middleton. Bex, an American student at Oxford, meets Nick living down the hall. But Nick isn’t just any bloke, he’s heir to the throne of England.
The book imagines what it must be like to be thrust in the not-so-very-kind spotlight, perhaps something becoming even more topical in today’s British media than it was when the book was published!
Visiting Buckingham Palace and spotting royals aren’t the only unforgettable things you can do in London.
“Hysterical” —Entertainment Weekly
“Full of love and humor, and delicious in too many ways.”—Emma Straub, New York Times bestselling author
“Engrossing and deeply satisfying.“—Jen Doll, author of Save the Date
2. France Travel: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
In France, we venture back in time to a historical fiction about World War II. Vianne and Isabelle are two sisters trying to survive as Germany occupies their country. The sisters take two different paths – Vianne must protect her family while Isabelle chooses rebellion.
It’s a tragic story, a look into the life of the women left behind while their men are out at war. I cried while reading it, and came to love the two sisters, despite their different ways.
“A heart-pounding story.” ―USA Today
“An enormous story. Richly satisfying. I loved it.” ―Anne Rice
“A respectful and absorbing page-turner.” ―Kirkus Reviews
3. Germany Travel: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Moving to Germany, we will stay in the time of World War II. This young adult novel brings to life an unexpected character – Death.
Liesel and her adopted family live in Germany as Hilter is waging war. They are poor, doing their best to get by, and Liesel starts stealing books – the first one left by the wayside but growing to acts of defiance. She steals books put aside for burning, she steals books from the mayor’s wife.
Then Max arrives, a Jew who needs to hide.
Zusak’s writing and imagery helps us look beyond what’s really happening – small defiances against the Nazis – and look at the humans, for all their flaws.
“Elegant, philosophical and moving…Beautiful and important.” ―Kirkus Reviews, Starred
“This hefty volume is an achievement…a challenging book in both length and subject…” ―Publisher’s Weekly, Starred
“One of the most highly anticipated young-adult books in years.” ―The Wall Street Journal
4. Italy Travel: Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Keeping in young adult fiction, we move to the present, where Lina’s in Tuscany fulfilling the wish of her late mother: to get to know her father. As Lina explores the new relationship with her father during trips to Florence, she also gets to know the boy next door, Lorenzo.
Amid reading her mother’s journals, she discovers clues to her own heritage that she never expected, making every relationship left in her life more complicated.
This is a wonderful coming-of-age story about finding out who your family is and reconnecting with the past. Lorenzo welcomes Lina into a wholesome but different European-teenage culture and, of course, the love of gelato.
“Seasoned with luscious descriptions of Renaissance architecture and Italian food, a sure bet for fans of romance fiction and armchair travel.” ―Kirkus
5. Montenegro Travel: The Second Chance in the Mediterranean by Liz Alden
This is the third romance novel in my Love and Wanderlust series. It starts in Tivat, Montenegro, but sails around to Croatia, Greece, Malta, and Spain.
Marcella is a chef looking for her dream job – the chance to make gourmet food while traveling the world. When she arrives aboard the superyacht Themis, she’s shocked to find a former crewmate – and lover – also working on the ship.
While Marcella settles into her job, she struggles to keep old feelings about Seb from surfacing. The story will make you itch to take your own cruise and explore the best Mediterranean port cities.
6. Russia Travel: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
A bold historical fantasy, The Bear and the Nightingale centers on Vasilisa, a girl raised deep in the forests of Russia. She hides her magical abilities as Christianity moves in, ignoring the local traditions. As crops fail and demons invade, Vasilisa does whatever she can to protect her family, even if it means striking a bargain with the winter king himself.
This is the first book in a stunning trilogy. The author studied Russian in college, and as her author’s note states, the books are heavily steeped in Russian mythology and history.
I highly recommend the whole series, even if the romance is a little light for my taste!
“Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.”—The Washington Post
“Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.”—The Christian Science Monitor
“Stunning . . . will enchant readers from the first page. . . . with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
7. Scotland Travel: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
For an even subtler magic, we turn to the beloved Outlander series, a time travel historical romance. Set in Scotland, Claire stumbles upon an ancient circle of stones that transports her back to the 18th century, where she must escape the clutches of her modern-day husband’s ancestor and falls into the protection of Jamie Fraser.
Claire and Jamie’s romance spans centuries and continents through the nine-book series. The books have been made into a Starz series of the same name.
Readers should be aware that there is a lot of violence in this series.
“Marvelous and fantastic adventures, romance, sex . . . perfect escape reading.”—San Francisco Chronicle, on Outlander
“History comes deliciously alive on the page.”—New York Daily News, on Outlander
“Gabaldon is a born storyteller. . . . The pages practically turn themselves.”—The Arizona Republic, on Dragonfly in Amber
8. Spain Travel: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
In a post-civil war Barcelona, Daniel, the son of an antique bookseller, discovers a book called The Shadow of the Wind. The mysterious book appears to be the only copy of any book by the author – the rest have been systematically destroyed. In Daniel’s quest to find the author, he is led down a rabbit hole with secret libraries, blackmail, and murder.
This story had me hooked on its beautiful writing and dedication to books of all kinds. I wish I could visit a library like the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.
“Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Wonderous . . . masterful . . . The Shadow of the Wind is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero.” —Entertainment Weekly (Editor’s Choice)
“One gorgeous read.” —Stephen King
9. Sweden Travel: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Back to modern times we visit Sweden in this trilogy by Stieg Larsson and the posthumous continuation by David Lagercrantz. Investigative journalist Mikael teams up with Lisbeth , a young hacker prodigy, to track down a heiress who disappeared over forty years ago.
The original trilogy is steeped in intrigue and action, but the third book – The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – is the ultimate vindication against the forces that have worked against Lisbeth her whole life, and winter in Sweden is the perfect snowy backdrop for this thriller.
The trilogy was made into movies, both Swedish and English, but the books are addictive and hard to put down. The series is one of the best-selling book series ever, having sold over 100 million copies.
“Wildly suspenseful . . . an intelligent, ingeniously plotted, utterly engrossing thriller.”—The Washington Post“
Mesmerizing. . . . Imagine the movies of Ingmar Bergman crossed with Thomas Harris’s novel The Silence of the Lambs.”—USA Today
“Unique and fascinating. . . . It’s like a blast of cold, fresh air to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”—Chicago Tribune
10. Turkey Travel: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Finally, we travel to ancient Troy, what is now modern-day Turkey. A visit to Turkey is full of culture, natural beauty, and history.
In her debut novel, Miller tells us a spin on the tragic story of Achilles and Patroclus. These two lovers, as Greek tragedies go, are fated for disaster.
This one guarantees a sob fest, but is so tragically beautiful. It’s accessible and sticks close to the classic mythologies.
“Talk about updating the classics.”—Time magazine
“[Miller] injects a newfound sense of suspense into a story with an ending that has already been determined.”—Wall Street Journal
“Powerful, inventive, passionate, and beautifully written. ”—Boston Globe
Byline:
Liz Alden writes romance novels based on her own travel adventures. Her debut novel, The Hitchhiker in Panama, follows Lila as she hitchhikes through the Panama Canal on a sailboat and finds an unexpected adventure along the way. Liz also posts book news and reviews of romance novels on Facebook, and Instagram.
