The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
Last updated: 2 October 2026
The Art of Travel book by Alain de Botton asks why we go away and why trips so often feel different from the ones we imagined. It is nine essays, first published in 2002. Each one is guided by a writer or artist such as Flaubert, Wordsworth or Van Gogh. The current Penguin paperback runs to 272 pages with an RRP of £12.99, and Amazon UK had it at £11.09 on 2 October 2026.
Buy The Art of Travel on Amazon UK
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What The Art of Travel book is about
Penguin's description opens with the line "Few activities seem to promise us as much happiness as going travelling". De Botton takes that promise seriously and asks what actually happens when we leave home. Each essay pairs a stage of a journey with a guide from the past and a place de Botton visited himself.
The essays are grouped into five parts: Departure, Motives, Landscape, Art and Return. So the book follows the order of a trip, from the daydream before booking to the moment you are back in your own room.
The guides and the places
- Departure: J.-K. Huysmans on anticipation, set against a trip to Barbados, then Charles Baudelaire and the painter Edward Hopper on airports, service stations and other places in between.
- Motives: Gustave Flaubert on the exotic, from Amsterdam to Egypt, and the explorer Alexander von Humboldt on curiosity, with de Botton in Madrid.
- Landscape: William Wordsworth in the Lake District on the country and the city, and Edmund Burke on the sublime in the Sinai desert.
- Art: Vincent van Gogh in Provence, and John Ruskin on drawing what you see so you remember it.
- Return: Xavier de Maistre, who wrote about travelling around his own bedroom, on noticing home as if it were somewhere new.
About Alain de Botton
De Botton has written 15 books on philosophy and everyday life. They include How Proust Can Change Your Life and The Consolations of Philosophy. He also founded The School of Life, which runs courses and publishes books on relationships, work and emotional life. His official website lists the rest of his books.
Key facts
- Author: Alain de Botton
- First published: 2002
- This edition: Penguin paperback, 27 March 2014
- Format: paperback, 272 pages, 19.9 x 13cm, also sold as an ebook
- ISBN: 9780241970065
- Price: £12.99 RRP, £11.09 on Amazon UK when we checked
Who it suits as a gift
- Frequent travellers: the opening essay is about the gap between the trip we picture and the one we get.
- Readers who cannot get away: the last essay is about finding something new in your own home.
- Art lovers: the Van Gogh and Ruskin essays are about looking closely, at paintings and at the places that inspired them.
It is a small paperback, so it fits in a carry-on. Our gifts for travel lovers guide has more ideas to go with it.
Where to buy it in the UK
Amazon UK had The Art of Travel book in the Penguin paperback at £11.09, which is £1.90 under the RRP. Other paperback listings for the same book turn up on Amazon too, so look for ISBN 9780241970065 if you want the current Penguin edition.
The Art of Travel on Amazon UK
FAQs
What is The Art of Travel book about?
It is nine essays by Alain de Botton on why we travel and how to get more out of it. Each essay uses a writer or artist from the past as a guide.
When was The Art of Travel published?
It first came out in 2002. The current Penguin paperback was published on 27 March 2014.
How long is The Art of Travel?
The Penguin paperback has 272 pages.
How much does it cost?
The RRP is £12.99. Amazon UK had it at £11.09 when we checked.
Who are the guides in The Art of Travel?
They include Huysmans, Baudelaire, Edward Hopper, Flaubert, Alexander von Humboldt, Wordsworth, Edmund Burke, Van Gogh, John Ruskin and Xavier de Maistre.
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