Whatever your interest is, there’s likely a guidebook for it. Here are three new niche offerings on the market for those seeking super-specific recommendations to visit, or just daydream about.
FOR THE EXPLORER
‘Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places’
Travel writer David Farley goes digging for hidden destinations. The more than 50 places featured include a three-story train station in Taiwan and an amusement park in Romania. There are also pieces on underground systems that, if not visitor-friendly, are still impressive (such as NYC’s steam tunnels). $27.99, Black Dog & Leventhal
FOR THE GREEN SEEKER
‘Green Escapes: The Guide to Secret Urban Gardens’
Fans of secret gardens will find much to geek out over in the latest book by historian Toby Musgrave. The guide explores more than 250 green spaces in more than 150 cities around the world, from the ancient (Shanghai’s Yuyuan) to the modern (Philadelphia’s Rail Park) — with maps for each city to help find your way to urban oasis bliss. $29.95, Phaidon
FOR THE LIT LOVER
‘Book Towns: Forty Five Paradises of the Printed Word’
If you make a point of perusing bookstores in each place you visit, this was written for you. Journalist Alex Johnson spotlights 45 “book towns” — small towns, often in picturesque locales, that have a large amount of bookstores. The global list includes Hay-on-Wye in Wales, Fjaerland in Norway, and Jimbocho in Japan. $22.99, Aurum Press
