KEVIN McCLOUD’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE, Phoenix, £8.99.

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of the most notorious – and inspired – travellers and taking in great cities, ruins and architectural marvels, the author recreates what was a rite of passage for the well-to-do for over 200 years.

He does veer off the well-trodden paths on occasions, taking in brothels, bathhouses, gambling and drinking dens, but throughout there is an almost boyish sense of adventure.

From Paris’s haute couture to Italy's allure, Greece’s ancient majesty to alpine vistas, this hedonistic romp shows that even in today’s cynical society, Europe is still a place of excitement and wonder.

CHRIS BURGESS