Lonely Planet is my travel bestfriend. If you visit my house, you'd immediately notice that most walls are lined with bookshelves. And one bookshelf is like a shrine to everything about traveling, with Lonely Planet as the god.

For me, traveling and reading goes hand in hand. Never have I stepped foot in a new place without having read anything about its history, people and culture. Even my choice in hotels and activities are based on what I have read. If what I have read piques my interest, I would definitely be there.

With the fame of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code (and the tours which were inspired by it), I discovered yet another great way to learn about a destination...

The Literary Guide to the World can point out books which can offer the best virtual tours of certain places. There's the "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" to guide you around Louisiana; "In Patagonia" shows you Argentina and Chile; "In Praise of Folly" shows you around the Netherlands. There's a whole lot more in their website.

Interesting, don't you think? It's perfect for those who love to read and travel. A great way to somehow romanticize a certain destination and see things in a different way. Plus, the next time you go anywhere, you could actually match your destination with the book you plan to bring along while you lounge around at the pool.