Top 10 travel guides

While you might not be able to go anywhere right now, there’s nothing to stop you planning your next trip – or simply indulging in a spot of armchair travel. We’ve got hundreds of fantastic titles available to download covering places as diverse as the Norwegian fjords, Japan’s high-tech cities and the idyllic Greek Islands. If you’re wondering what to choose, here are some of our most popular and enduring guides, plus some inspiring new titles.

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The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands & Islands

This fascinating guide to one of the most beautiful parts of the British Isles is packed with information on where to go and what to see. Explore the divine seafood offerings at Loch Fyne to the whisky distilleries on Islay and Skye’s breathtaking Cuillin ridge to abandoned castles. It also gives you expert tips on Munro-bagging and where to find the best deserted (if blustery) beaches.

The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget

Mystical ancient wonders, jaw-dropping natural marvels, dazzling tropical beaches and the world’s most exhilarating street party: South America is an independent traveller’s dream, a vast and fascinating continent with countless highlights and truly epic journeys. With suggested itineraries, rough costs, fact files and all the essential information you could possibly need, this is the ultimate trip-planner. The only problem is deciding where to start.

The Rough Guide to Norway

It's the place that’s on any serious traveller’s bucket list. Encompassing everything from charmingly laid-back cities to the mighty ice-plateaus of Svalbard’s arctic wilderness, Norway offers the perfect combination of sophistication and adventure. Learn more about hiking, cross-country skiing or chasing the elusive northern lights – or get the low-down on Bergen’s top-notch culinary scene or bar-hopping in Oslo.

The Rough Guide to Costa Rica

Discover one of Latin America’s most diverse and compelling countries – a place where you can go soak in a hot spring, walk through the canopy of a cloud forest and enjoy some of the finest coffee on earth. The Rough Guide to Costa Rica brings to life the country’s incomparable wildlife – with turtle-nesting beaches, jewel-like butterflies and frogs, and more bird species than the US and Canada combined.

The Rough Guide to Greek Islands

It would take a lifetime of island-hopping to fully appreciate the 227 islands scattered across the Greek and Aegean seas, but this guide is an invaluable introduction to this perfect island getaway. Ancient ruins, secluded coves and whitewashed fishing villages are the order of the day here, but there are also moonscapes, amazing hikes and climbs, and unforgettable wildlife.

The Rough Guide to Colombia

In just ten years Colombia has been transformed from narco-state to a nation on the rise, with a stable democracy and burgeoning tourist industry. It boasts a treasure trove of landscapes, along with languid colonial towns and dynamic, modern cities, and its vibrant cultural mix ranges from indigenous Andean culture to the legacy of Gabriel García Márquez. You can salsa the night away in Cali or get your thrills whitewater rafting in San Gil. The Rough Guide to Colombia tells you all you need to know about South America’s most exciting destination.

The Rough Guide to Mexico

The home of tacos, Aztecs, sombreros and tequila, almost everyone on the planet knows something about Mexico. Yet, as this guide shows, there’s far more to this country than the stereotypes. It offers a tantalizing blend of Mesoamerican cultures, Spanish traditions and contemporary arts. From the shimmering blue coastline of Baja California and the cactus-strewn deserts of the north to the Maya villages and palm-smothered beaches of the south, it has to be one of the world’s most rewarding destinations.

The Rough Guide to New Zealand

The greatest little country on earth? Quite possibly. With craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped mountains and explosive geysers, the scenery is truly majestic. But nature isn’t the only draw – as well as detailed coverage of its national parks and hiking routes, New Zealand’s impressive Maori culture, its world-famous wineries and Christchurch’s post-earthquake reconstruction are just some of the topics featured in this fascinating guide.

The Rough Guide to Guatemala

Spanning a mountainous slice of Central America, Guatemala is loaded with incredible natural, historical and cultural appeal. Its indigenous culture is among the richest in Central America, its rainforest wildlife is out of this world and the Mayan site of Tikal rivals any ruin in Latin America.

Rough Guides Travel the Liberation Route

Published to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, this authoritative guide explores the key sights related to the Liberation – from the UK, where much of the planning and preparation took place, through Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. It features inspirational biographies of war heroes and special features on topics such as the Resistance movements, the Prague uprising and post-war reconstruction.

Top image: Wooden fishing boats on the old beach of Cefalu, Sicily, Italy © Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock