Our Top 5 Travel Reads for this summer

Travel books should have a place on every coffee table - and in every suitcase. Whether you prefer a destination guide or a good fictional novel set in the destination of your choice, we have five travel books you must read in 2016. Let's get stuck in!

#1. Road Wallah by Dougie Wallace

Dougie Wallace's account of journeys in Mumbai's Premier Padmini cabs is not to be missed. This coffee table book charts the rise - and fall - of these iconic cabs, which were phased out shortly after Wallace started photographing them. In the book he tells of the vehicle's history and how it is 'symbolic of Bombay'. Even if you don't read the text from cover-to-cover, the eye-catching, colourful photographs make this a must for your coffee table.

#2. The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino

The charms of the Rue des Martyrs are revealed in this behind-closed-doors look at the residents of one of Paris's most traditional streets - the bookstore owner, the cheesemonger and the Tunisian grocer all share their stories. This gets under the skin of the very essence of Paris and reveals why it is one of the most romantic and charming cities in the world.

#3. Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016: The Trends, Destinations, Journeys and Experiences for the Year Ahead by Lonely Planet

If you buy one travel book this year, choose this one. Anybody in need of some wanderlust is sure to find inspiration in these pages - it is the ultimate guide to inspire you to have some amazing experiences in 2016. With its top 10 list of countries and cities to visit and details of events you can't afford to miss, this book will have you organising time off work and planning your travel adventures before you have even finished reading. Don't forget to sort out your cheap annual travel insurance before you set off, meaning that you can squeeze in as many adventures as you like before the year is out!

#4. The Beach by Alex Garland

If you haven't already devoured Alex Garland's cult classic or seen the film starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio, where have you been? Make this the year you catch up - we recommend the book over the film any day - and afterwards plan your trip to Thailand. Just avoid the summer months if you want to see more of the country's sights, as these are when the weather is at its hottest!

#5.Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe by Gaston Dorren

This book will change the way you think about languages and it is an entertaining and informative read, whether you take it on holiday with you or read it at home. Find out why Finnish is the easiest language to learn of all European languages and why Esperanto is never going to catch on.