We love traveling in Europe: the history, the museums, and the romance of beautiful old cities. Along the way, we often encounter vintage posters in museums and places that carry both fine art and commercial art. They remain part of the visual experience of traveling through France and Western Europe.
That overlap between travel, history, and design draws us to travel posters. A destination gives an image a personal connection; the artwork and typography make it something we want to keep looking at.
The Poster Archive’s travel collection grows out of those interests. Our selections reflect places we love, places we want to visit, and artwork that makes the prospect of going somewhere feel exciting.
What Makes a Travel Poster Worth Choosing?
The quality of the artwork comes first, along with the typography. The lettering needs to contribute to the composition. Sometimes it supplies as much personality as the illustration itself.
Then there’s the subject. Does the poster show the place, or does it use a representative object to suggest an adventure? Does it make us want to go?
Our preferences inevitably influence the collection. We love Italy and Spain, so posters for those countries have a natural advantage. If a destination doesn’t interest us, we’re less drawn to its poster.
That personal connection is a useful starting point when choosing art for your home, too. A place you love—or hope to visit—gives you a reason to return to an image long after you’ve decided where to hang it.
A Favorite: Oaxaca Tourism Promo Poster
The Oaxaca poster for Mexicana brings several of these qualities together.
We love Mexico and Mexican culture. To us, Oaxaca represents so much of the cultural richness we associate with the country, including Día de Muertos. That connection gives the poster an immediate appeal.
The design earns its place on the wall. The saturation is wonderful: a maximalist explosion of colors. We love the typography, and the name of a now-defunct airline adds a little kitsch. It carries some of the romance of an earlier era of travel advertising.
It’s also one of the few travel posters we’re especially drawn to at 24×36 inches. At that scale, we picture it in a coffee shop or café with character—a space that welcomes an eye-catching piece and gives people time to enjoy it.
Think About How Much Attention You Want the Poster to Receive
Vintage commercial art was designed to capture attention. That strength matters when you bring it into a room.
In a muted interior of beiges and grays, a saturated travel poster can pull focus immediately. The Oaxaca poster certainly would. That can be a good reason to choose it, provided you want the artwork to become a focal point.
In a room with other visually engaging pieces, the same poster can feel more at home within the whole. When the surrounding art and objects also reward extended viewing, its color and detail have company.
Give a Bold Poster the Right Setting
For us, the Oaxaca poster at 24×36 belongs in a commercial space with personality. Coffee shops and cafés can support that visual energy, especially when the furnishings and other artwork give visitors plenty to look at.
That distinction is worth considering before choosing a size. Loving an image and wanting it to command a room are two related decisions. Think about both.
Find Your Own Connection to the Collection
As you explore The Poster Archive’s travel collection, start with the destinations that mean something to you. Then look more closely at the design.
- Does the artwork hold your attention beyond the first glance?
- Does the typography add to its character?
- Does the subject bring back a memory or suggest an adventure?
- How much attention do you want it to draw in your room?
Those are the qualities that guide our selections. The travel posters we love bring together a feeling for a place and the pleasure of a well-made image. They offer something worth looking at while the next trip is still ahead.
