Zara & Wallpaper’s Coffee Table Travel Guides, Six Things

BRUTON/OJAI/GALICIA/NAOSHIMA/NAMIBIA.

I had never heard of these cities either. Well, the last one is a country in Southern Africa. I was impressed because Zara went off the beaten path, on to the new, and past the dead-end sign.

WHAT’S INSIDE

They are mainly photo books, and each photo has reference information listed toward the end creating a to-do list. I love a nice straight-to-the-point to-do list. The lists on average are 19 things long with the exception of Galicia, a region, being 40+. You get a brief understanding of city culture reading the intro (four pages). I enjoyed Naoshima!

The photos are unique with everything from closeups to landscapes. There’s a Read, Listen & Cook page, the best of the Cook being Namibia’s Oryx (Or Beef) Fillet Cooked in Black Pepper Crust.

VS. ONLINE GUIDES

Comparing what I found in Ojai, many first-page google results travel articles did not include half of the restaurants, shops, and hotels from the reference list. Bart’s Books is popular. Plus few guides will consistently give recipes and/or playlists if you’re into setting the mood for your vacation.

MY FAVORITE

Naoshima for a relaxing vacation. Galicia for an active one!

WOULD I BUY MORE?

They are not worth more than $10 to me. I would at the current price and as an add-on. Shipping a $6 product? Nein. I hope they continue on the path of finding overlooked destinations - Bruton is about an hour from Bristol and Bath and 3 1/2 hours from London - and if not, I hope the book is thicker for more famous areas. Even if I never go, they’ll look nice on a coffee table.

PRICE TAG

I purchased the box set for $26 vs. the $129 original price. The individual cities currently cost $6 each compared to $27.90. See more of their books/travel books.

Cover Photo: True Sojourn