{"id":5252,"date":"2020-05-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-25T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joinmytrip.com\/blog\/the-best-travel-movies-and-books\/"},"modified":"2020-05-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-25T22:00:00","slug":"the-best-travel-movies-and-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joinmytrip.com\/blog\/en\/the-best-travel-movies-and-books\/","title":{"rendered":"List of The Best Travel Movies and Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

For every movie-lover and bookworm<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We understand that the idea of another quarantine has gotten you a little down. Because we feel the same at JoinMyTrip<\/a>! Nonetheless, it is vital for everyone to stay at home again because this is the only chance to\u00a0#flattenthecurve<\/strong>.\u00a0That\u2019s why we sat together (video chat of course) and thought about\u00a0the best travel movies and books for travel inspiration<\/strong>.\u00a0So, at least your mind and creativity can go around the world!\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So, sit back and make yourself a wish list.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not a bookworm and Netflix and Co. are your best friends these days?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Have a look at our list of Top 19\u00a0Movies<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Documentaries<\/strong>, all about traveling.<\/p>\n

19. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This film\u00a0details a whacky search for the \u201cAmerican Dream\u201d, by Thompson and his lawyer. Fueled by the massive amount of drugs they purchased with an advance from a magazine to cover a sporting event in Las Vegas. Encountering police, reporters, gamblers, racers and hitchhikers; they search for the world-famous \u201cAmerican Dream\u201d and find fear, loathing and hilarious adventures in the modern American West.<\/p>\n

18. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This film is about the Hoover family; a grandfather who\u2019s addicted to cocaine, the father who\u2019s a struggling motivational speaker, a mother who can\u2019t cope, an uncle recovering from a failed suicide attempt, a Nietzsche-worshipping son and little Olive, who dreams about being beautiful. When Olive has the chance of participating in the beauty pageant \u201cLittle Miss Sunshine\u201d, the whole family hops on a VW bus to drive to California to support the little girl. On their 3-day road trip, they experience total madness and life-changing events.<\/p>\n

\n \"The
\n Little Miss Sunshine
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

17. The Road to San Diego (2006)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Tati, a young man from Argentina, is Maradona crazy. The TV announcement that Maradona will be admitted to hospital in Buenos Aires with heart problems is enough for Tati to hit the road for the capital in order to personally give her the wooden resemblance he carries with him over the hills, along with a bag full of other carvings he hopes to sell. On his way to Buenos Aires, he experiences, surprises and interesting encounters and the last question remaining is: Will he be able to deliver the sculpture to his idol?<\/p>\n

16. Nebraska (2013)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This film is about a father-son road trip from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska where the father had grown up and where he wants to settle. It\u2019s the ultimate story of a son trying to get through to a father he doesn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n

\n \"Best
\n Nebraska
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

15. The Straight Story (1999)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This is a portrait of one man\u2019s real journey across America\u2019s Heartland. Filmed along the way from Laurens, Iowa to Mt. Zion, Wisconsin, the film chronicles the protagonist\u2019s patient odyssey and those he meets along the way. He encounters a number of strangers, from a teenage runaway to a fellow World War II veteran. By sharing his life\u2019s earned wisdom with simple stories, the protagonist has a great impact on these characters.<\/p>\n

\n
\n Create an account <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

14. Buena Vista Social Club (1999)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

A group of Cuban musicians, some being as old as 90, were brought together to record a CD. In this film, the audience can see and hear some of the songs recorded in Havana. There\u2019s also some footage from concerts in Amsterdam and New York City. In addition, many of the musicians talk about their lives in Cuba<\/a> and how their musical story began. If you have ever wanted to know what life in Cuba was like then you definitely add this to your list of travel movies and book!<\/p>\n

\n \"Man
\n Buena vista social club
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

13. Roman Holiday (1953)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This is an absolute classic with the famous Audrey Hepburn! On a diplomatic visit to Rome, Hepburn\u2019s character escapes her royal duties and goes incognito to explore the city on her own. She happens to meet American journalist Joe Bradley, who, recognizing a lucrative news story, pretends that he doesn\u2019t recognize her and offers to give her a guided tour of Rome.\u00a0This is a full-on romance from the \u201950s so make sure to get your wine and chocolate ready and add this to your list of best travel movies and books!<\/p>\n

12. Under an Arctic Sky (2017)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This documentary portrays the beautiful journey of a group of surfers, photographers and adventurers traveling to Iceland during winter, in search of the perfect wave. On their way, their struggles with brutal weather conditions, the difficult travel conditions and the equipment is captured like it\u2019s never been done before! A must-see in your list of travel movies and books for every snow-lover who wants to escape to a frozen-like world.<\/p>\n

\n \"Blocks
\n Under an arctic sky
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

11. Seven Years in Tibet (1997)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

At the peak of WWII, an\u00a0Austrian mountain climber\u00a0(it\u2019s our cutie Brad Pitt) journeys to the holy city of Lhasa in Tibet. He searches for new challenges to tame and finds an unexpected friend in the form of young Dalai Lama. Under the influence of the holy leader, the mountaineer and Nazi Party member, begins a personal journey that leads to greater self-awareness and inner peace.<\/p>\n

10. 180\u00b0 South (2010)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This documentary covers the journey of Jeff Johnson as he travels from Ventura, California to Patagonia in Chile. After finding footage of the 1968 expedition by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins who took their Ford E-Series Econoline Van on that trip, Johnson decided to climb to Corcovado Volcano in Patagonia.<\/p>\n

\n \"River
\n 180 degrees South<\/a>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

9. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This film revolves around three brothers who have drifted apart over the last years, so much that they don\u2019t speak to each other anymore. Their father\u2019s death brings them together again. It is at this point when one of them proposes they should do a train journey through India, as a spiritual pilgrimage, together. They travel on the Darjeeling Limited, a railway line crossing the country from one end to the other. Conflicts and fights on the train escalate so the three brothers are forced to get off and that\u2019s when their true journey starts. None of them said it out loud, but the three of them knew: The true motive to go to India was to find the mother who had left them on their own all those years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

In this documentary, director Werner Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica<\/a> to meet people who live and work there, to capture footage of the continent\u2019s unique locations. They portray four different locations: McMurdo Station, a nearby seal camp, a diving camp and Mount Erebus. In each station, they interview people about living conditions and their work around Antarctica.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hint: This is NOT an animal documentary, it is about people!<\/p>\n

\n \"Blocks
\n Encounters at the end of the world
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n Find out more<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

7. Midnight in Paris (2011)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This is a classic film made by world-famous director Woody Allen.\u00a0
An American writer (played by Owen Wilson) arrives with his fiancee and her parents in Paris. As he wanders the streets dreaming of the 1920s, he falls under a spell and then the magic happens\u2026 at midnight somewhere in the Latin neighbourhood, the protagonist travels into another universe where he meets people, he never expected to meet in his life.<\/p>\n

6. Somebody Feed Phil (2018)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This is an American travel documentary presented by Phillip Rosenthal and produced by\u00a0Netflix. Each episode follows Rosenthal touring the cuisine of the episode\u2019s featured city. In the first season, he traveled from Bangkok through Europe to Mexico City, and took the audience on a fun and indulging journey to check out the best dishes for every stop. In Germany, both seasons are available on Netflix, so what\u2019s stopping you from adding this to your list of travel movies and books?<\/p>\n

\n \"Woman
\n Somebody feed Phil
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Set in Italy in the late 1950s, Tom Ripley craves the life led by Dickie Greenleaf. When Dickie\u2019s father asks Tom to bring his son back home to America, Dickie and his girlfriend never suspect the dangerous extremes to which Tom will go to make their lifestyle his own.<\/p>\n

4. Dark Tourist (2018)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

From atomic lakes to cursed forests, David Farrier takes the audience on an adventurous and exciting journey through the most bizarre tourist attractions around the world. His journey begins in Latin America where he meets Pablo Escobar\u2019s professional killer, witnesses an exorcism in Mexico and takes part in an illegal border crossing (which is not real). The documentary show is available on Netflix and so far, there is just one season with 8 episodes.<\/p>\n

\n \"A
\n Dark Tourist
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Life in a Day (2011)\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

\u201cLife in a day\u201d is a crowdsourced documentary film made out of an arranged series of video clips selected from 80,000 clips submitted to YouTube. The clips show respective occurrences from around the world on a single day, 24 July 2010. People were able to submit a video from their everyday lives on this particular day \u2013 from all around the world. Out of this footage, the directors selected the best ones for the documentary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are really no words to describe the power of the pictures and videos you will see in this film, you have to see for yourself. It\u2019s a must for your travel movies and books list. The good thing is that you can watch it on YouTube for free so get cracking!<\/p>\n

2. National Parks Adventure (2016)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

In this Netflix documentary, the most beautiful national parks of North America are being portrayed. You will see untamed nature and the breathtaking presence of the Earth and how we, as humans, interact with it in a sustainable and responsible way. This film is perfect as an inspiration for you and your USA travel buddy<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\n \"Yosemite
\n National Parks adventure
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n Explore unique Trips<\/strong><\/strong><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

1. Into the Wild (2007)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Recently graduated from college, 22-year-old Christopher McCandless chose to walk out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of an adventure. He abandoned his possessions, gave his savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska. What happened to him on his journey is portrayed in this film. It is based on a true story and asks the big question: Was he a heroic adventurer or a naive idealist?
A little side note: This film does not have the happiest ending so be prepared for that.<\/p>\n

Now for all the big old bookworms:
The 10 best books to dream yourself away to pristine places and wonderful stories<\/strong><\/h3>\n

10. Lands of Lost Borders \u2013 Kate Harris (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

As a teenager, author Kate Harris realized that her dream to become an explorer had gone extinct. After studying at Oxford, she set off by bicycle down the famous Silk Road with her childhood friend. Going mile upon mile in some of the most remote places on earth, she realized that an explorer, in any day and age, is the kind of person who refuses to live between the lines. Forget charting maps, naming peaks, what she yearned for was the feeling of soaring completely out of bounds. The further she traveled, the closer she came to a world, which was as wild as she felt within.<\/p>\n

9. Pay No Heed to the Rockets \u2013 Marcello di Cintio (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Author Marcello di Cintio first travelled to Israel<\/a> in 1999. When he returned again in 2015, he yearned to write about Palestinian writers and how they see the Arab-Israeli conflict. In his book, he records his encounters with Arab writers from the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip<\/a>. During the book, he meets old friends, notable writers and authors from said regions and documents their opinions and history about the regional conflicts. Di Cintio portrays the different faces of the Gaza region in a very lively and diverse manner \u2013 not only the Arab-Israeli conflict is part of the book, but also other social aspects of life, such as domestic abuse, the placement of LGBTQ people, government corruption and childhood trauma.<\/p>\n

\n \"Desert
\n Pay no heads to the rockets
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8. Dark Star Safari \u2013 Paul Theroux (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

In Dark Star Safari, Paul Theroux takes the reader to Africa<\/a> by rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, ferry, train and also armed convoy. During his journey, he talks to people on-site, not just the inhabitants, but also aid workers, missionaries and tourists. Theroux encounters danger and uncomfortable circumstances while capturing the beauty and diversity of the African continent \u2013 from Cairo to Cape Town.\u00a0<\/p>\n

7. Love with a Chance of Drowning \u2013 Torre DeRoche (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Torre DeRoche is a typical city girl. She loves her independence and is not looking for love (who really is, right?). But then she meets an Argentinean man and their adventure together begins after he tells her that he will \u201csail\u201d around the world with nothing but a small sailboat. Lovesick Torre decides to go with him, determined to keep the love alive although she\u2019s terribly afraid of the open water. Somewhere on the Pacific, she finds herself on a journey that will change her life forever. This is a very charming and wonderful book for your list of travel movies and books that shows the reader that there are always risks worth taking and also takes us to the most remote places on Earth.<\/p>\n

\n \"Love
\n Love with a chance of drowning
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, A Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear \u2013 Paul Souders (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Paul Souders has dreamed his whole life about the perfect picture of a Polar Bear in its natural habitat. After a troublesome journey to his hauled boat in Hudson Bay, he embarked on his journey. Battling winds and plagued by questionable navigation, he slowly made his way north in the hopes of finding the melting ice that should be home to thousands of Polar Bears. For a few magical days, he was surrounded by incredible wildlife photo opportunities.<\/p>\n

5. Eat, Pray, Love \u2013 Elizabeth Gilbert (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

This is a book that can\u2019t be ignored for your list of travel movies and books when talking about travel-inspired books, it\u2019s a classic. This memoir talks about Gilbert\u2019s journey around the world after her divorce. Following this event, she decided to go on a trip around the world to find herself again. She spends the first 4 months in Italy, eating and enjoying her life. The following 3 months, she stays in India, finding her spirituality and inner strength. The year ends in Bali, where she looks for her inner balance and falls in love with a new man.<\/p>\n

4. World Walk \u2013 Steven M. Newman (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Freelance journalist Steven Newman decides at age 28 to go on a backpacking<\/a> world trip. Traveling on back roads and through forgotten places, he continues to write for a newspaper audience of nearly 1.5 million. Four years later, he successfully had walked the length of 21 countries on five continents \u2013 and fulfilled his childhood dream. In this book, he takes the reader with him on this amazing odyssey, meeting families and finding friends in every place. Among the adventures he collected were wars, weather tragedies, wild boar fights and many more (we don\u2019t want to spoil everything). This is a book full of vividly described adventures as if you\u2019d experienced them yourself.<\/p>\n

\n \"Man
\n World Walk
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n Plan your own Trip<\/strong><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

3. The Cat Who Went to Paris (Norton the Cat) \u2013 Peter Gethers (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Author Peter Gethers always hated cats, or so he thought. After he met six-week-old Scottish Fold kitten Norton, a gift from his friend, he changes his mind immediately. Norton accompanies Gethers everywhere, to the office, to parties, on business trips to Los Angeles and Paris, on weekends to Fire Island. Whoever the two unlikely friends meet on their way, falls in love with the little cat immediately. Norton changed his owners\u2019 life and made the world a better place everywhere he goes. This book is made for every animal lover and people who didn\u2019t know how precious cats can be (yes, this goes out to every dog-lover).<\/p>\n

2. How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Third Edition: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter \u2013 Matt Kepnes (non-fiction)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Do you want to know how to travel cheaper while still having the best adventure ever? Matt Kepnes shows you how. This book gives practical, step-by-step instructions on how to travel on $50 a day or even less. He reveals tips, tricks and experiences on how to get around the world comfortably without paying a fortune or taking up a loan. He interviews several experienced travelers on the subject of success and hands-on advice. You should definitely read that book if you already have plans for your next adventure, no matter if it will be 2 weeks, months or years. We don\u2019t know how long the shutdown due to the virus will last, but it\u2019s nice to dream about the time after that. This book is perfect for your list of travel movies and books as a preparation for you and your world trip travel buddy!<\/p>\n

1. The Alchemist \u2013 Paul Coelho (fiction)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is an all-time classic. If you haven\u2019t read it, then READ IT NOW. This masterpiece tells the magical story of an Andalusian shepherd who dreams about traveling the world to find a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches he could\u2019ve not dreamed of before and that will change him more than he could ever imagine. The shepherd\u2019s odyssey teaches the reader about the wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning about yourself and, most importantly, following your dreams.<\/p>\n

\n \"Shepherd
\n The Alchemist
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, what happens now? Will you read and watch all those great titles we gave you?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I hope you do because these are my plans and I want to have people to share them with!<\/p>\n

Our world is such a special place and while we can\u2019t see it with our own eyes, we can use the\u00a0adventures<\/strong>,\u00a0experiences<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0stories<\/strong>\u00a0made by other great people. Let\u2019s use our community<\/a> to share stories and experiences about places that are in danger now. In danger not just because of the virus but also because of climate change. It is our responsibility, to care for our world and make everybody understand that\u00a0we only have one world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This one world is pictured in these books, movies and documentaries and\u00a0I wish for you that you will have the opportunity to see these places\u00a0<\/strong>for yourselves one day, but in a respectful manner.<\/p>\n

Or, check out our other travel related blog posts:<\/p>\n