What does your travel-guide/phrase-book look like after a long trip?

Are the pages dog-eared with write-ups of local attractions and hotels circled or highlighted with red and yellow pen?

Do you have the phone numbers of tour guides, locals in-the-know or taxicab companies scribbled in the margins???

You do, if you are anything like me.

And, on top of that, your travel maps are riddled with pin holes and tears from the stress of being folded and refolded every which way EXCEPT for the way it was folded when you originally bought it!!!

But, when you’re home, you can give your guide-book a rest and soothe your traveling he(art) with gorgeous rip-free wall maps by artist, Aaron Straup Cope. Created sin the geographic details, the vivid hues of these art prints allow you to soak in the beautiful shape and scale of cities like Paris, Istanbul, Boston and Chicago.

When gazing at these cartographical wonders drafted from a bird’s eye view, it’s hard not to ask yourself which tiny speck on this vibrant work represents a spot that you have once stood or will one day stand?

Of the selection of ten prints available on 20×200 my favorites are of Istanbul, Paris and Amsterdam which, to me, resemble impressionist paintings of flowers, especially when viewed from a distance.

These maps were created in collaboration between the artist and Stamen Designs using a series of open sourced maps available online. There is an interactive version that Safari and Firefox users can also experiment with at prettymaps.

What a great way to re-Create your travel experiences…pun intended!