Though you may be unable to physically explore the streets of London, Paris, or Venice, there are certain books that have the power to transport you there.

When I’m in the mood to visit new places, but can’t immediately hop on a plane, I like to immerse myself in historical fiction – or any book that has present day locations and sites ingrained to it – because I find that type of narration has the ability to transfer me anywhere in the world.

Some of the following books have made me feel like a local in an unfamiliar country, while others fondly remind me of previous travels.

Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton

A Cuban-American woman’s grandmother passes, and as she heads to Havana for the first time — in an effort to find the perfect spot to spread her ashes — she quickly realizes there’s a lot about her grandmother that she didn’t know. In the process of trying to learn more about her, she connects with old family friends, and together they unearth a secret that had been kept since fleeing to America.

This two generation story mixes romance, mystery, and historical politics in a way that will make you want to dig into your own family history.

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz inserts himself into a fictional murder mystery about a detective who wants his next solved case to be turned into a book written by Anthony. The case in question revolves around a woman who planned her own funeral, and was murdered later that day. As Detective Hawthorne attempts to solve the mystery, Anthony reluctantly follows him from town to town in England, as he takes interviews and finds shocking clues.

If you enjoy a fun murder mystery, no one does it better than Anthony Horowitz. His narration style will have you at the edge of your seat, with his implementation of reality — such as previous books, locations, current events and shows, and appearance by people (Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson) who are apart of the author’s life — will have you questioning if the story is non-fiction, though it certainly isn’t.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Similar to Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral series, this fun story follows Laurie, Sarah, and Jack. Laurie didn’t believe in love at first sight, but that changed when she locked eyes with a man at a bus stop… and then her bus drove off. Certain it was love, she spends a year searching for him in London, yet doesn’t find him – until Sarah introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie at their Christmas party.

Ten years of friendship, heartbreak, and secrets are to follow – it’s the ultimate rom-com. If a virtual tour of Tate Britain doesn’t leave you longing for London, One Day in December will.

Origin by Dan Brown

An extension of Brown’s Robert Langdon series (which includes The Da Vinci Code), Origin follows Langdon through Spain as he attempts to reveal one of his student’s (Edmond Kirsh) scientific findings – one that could change life as we know it.

When Kirsh’s presentation takes an unexpected turn at Spain’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the weight falls onto Langdon and the future Queen of Spain as they embark on a time sensitive quest that takes them from Barcelona to Madrid – painting incredible visuals of real art, architecture, locations, science, and religious organizations. You won’t make it through this novel without adding Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Cathedral to your bucket list.

What book takes you to new places? Let us know in the comments what you’ll be reading!

Fictional Books That Take You Around the World