Can you imagine the allure of your favourite book being brought to life, or visiting the home and preferred cafe of your most beloved author? Literary destinations such as these can greatly enrich the travel experience and inspire wanderlust and exploration.
If you are a lover of literature, consider planning a trip inspired by your favourite writers and their stories. Read on for our recommended destinations to add to your list for your next literary pilgrimage.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is “a city so packed with literary figures, influences and associations that it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature,” writes Edinburgh Expert. The Scottish capital city was home to numerous literary giants, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Robert Burns, David Hume and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Take the self-guided Conan Doyle walking tour to learn more about the man who penned the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. Have a drink at the Badger & Co. cocktail bar, named after Badger in “Wind of the Willows”, written by Kenneth Grahame. Here’s more on literary sites to visit in Edinburgh.
London
Britain’s capital inspired and was home to some of the greatest writers of the English language. The culturally renowned city informed the societal critiques of Charles Dickens, and was celebrated in the poetry of John Keats.
William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of all time, was charmed by London’s bustling streets and moved to the city in his 20s. Lovers of Shakespeare should visit the reconstructed Globe Theatre, which regularly sells out tickets for performances of the Bard’s works. The original theatre was destroyed by a fire in 1613.
Add sites in London connected to Virginia Woolf, Conan Doyle, Geoffrey Chaucer, and more authors and poets to your list.
Paris
“From Victor Hugo to Ernest Hemingway, from Simone de Beauvoir to Gertrude Stein, writers have crafted their works with the timeless ink of Parisian streets and the banks of the Seine,” writes Hotel Belami.
The City of Lights is home to famous literary cafes, such as Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood. Frequented by Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus, these cafes were centers of intellectual and philosophical discussions.
Visit Place des Vosges in the Le Marais neighborhood, where Victor Hugo's house is located, or the home of Honore de Balzac, which is now a museum in the 16th arrondissement. Here’s more on the haunts of famous writers and their homes in Paris.
New York
Literature in New York has always been shaped by the city’s diverse heritage and history. Major artistic and literary movements, including the Harlem Renaissance and the Beat Generation, have influenced the work of writers in the city.
Lovers of literature must visit The Algonquin Hotel, where writers gathered for the famed literary group, the Algonquin Round Table, through the 1920s. Book the Algonquin Round Table walking tour to learn more about the haunts of Dorothy Parker, Marc Connelly, Edna Ferber, George S. Kaufman, and other members of the “Vicious Circle.”
As the city that birthed the Harlem Renaissance, New York was home to writers who penned some of the greatest works in U.S. literature. Visit the home of Langston Hughes, celebrated as the Poet Laureate of Harlem, at 20 East 127th Street. Tour the Langston Hughes House, where you can also attend workshops and discussions on poetry, art, music and activism.
Head to Manhattan to visit the home of novelist James Baldwin, known for works such as “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” which explore what it means to be Black in America.
Here’s more on how Black writers impacted New York’s literary scene.
Crack open a good book at one of these world-renowned libraries.
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom — a great cultural treasure. The building itself is modern, opened to the public in London near St. Pancras Station in 1997. The library’s collection, however, spans more than a thousand years, including the 7th-century St. Cuthbert Gospel, the oldest European book with its original binding.
While you’re in London, be sure to visit the London Library, the world’s largest independent lending library, known for its collection centered on literature and the humanities, and its beautiful Victorian architecture and reading rooms.
The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is the largest library in the world, home to the U.S. copyright office and the main research institution of the U.S. Congress. Visit this esteemed library to view former president Thomas Jefferson’s book collection, medieval and renaissance manuscripts, and other rare texts.
Buy your next riveting read at these famed bookstores.
Located on the banks of the Seine in Paris, Shakespeare and Company is an English-language bookstore opened in 1951 by literature enthusiast George Whitman.
“James Baldwin, William Burroughs, Anaïs Nin, Allen Ginsberg, Richard Wright, Julio Cortázar, and Henry Miller were early visitors,” writes Shakespeare and Company, “From the first day—writers, artists, and intellectuals were invited to sleep for free among the shelves.”
Ben Sass founded the Strand bookstore in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1927. The Strand was one of nearly 50 bookstores on what was known as “Book Row,” spanning several blocks of Fourth Avenue.
“The Strand quickly became a Greenwich Village institution where writers went to converse, sell their books and find a hidden treasure to buy,” writes Strand, “Today, the Strand is the sole survivor of Book Row’s colorful past.
City Lights Books in San Francisco, founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, is known for its place in Beat culture. City Lights was a gathering place for prominent Beat writers and published Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” in 1956. An obscenity trial regarding the book made the bookstore, and the Beats, renowned.
Here’s an extensive list of the most iconic bookstores.
Celebrate the written word at a global literary festival.
Jaipur Literature Festival, held annually in January in Jaipur, India, is one of the most prestigious literature festivals in the world. JLF attracts more than a million attendees and major thought leaders, including Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama.
Hay Festival, in Hay-on-Wye Wales, draws authors, poets, musicians and thought leaders from diverse disciplines and corners of the globe, including former UK prime minister Theresa May and Geri Halliwell-Horner. Hay is held annually in spring.
Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair in Malaysia draws more than a million book lovers, publishers and authors, and offers seminars, book launches, workshops and more. “In recent years, the event has also embraced digital trends, with TikTok playing a significant role in promoting the fair to younger generations,” writes Zicasso.
Remember to book reservations and flights months in advance for these events which are known to draw hundreds of thousands of attendees.
Here’s a list of the 12 most well-known literature festivals.
Follow the steps of your favorite authors with a literary pilgrimage.
Fans of famed Brontë sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne should visit their home in Yorkshire, now the Brontë Parsonage Museum.
Explore Ernest Hemingway’s haunts in Key West, including his former home, rumored to be haunted, and his favorite bars, Captain Tony’s Saloon and Blue Heaven.
Trace the steps of the steps of Jane Austen in Bath, where she lived from 1801 to 1806.
Learning more about the lives of your favorite authors may give you a deeper understanding and appreciation of their work. Discover your favorite authors through this list of top literary pilgrimages.
Travel insurance provides peace of mind for your next international trip inspired by your favourite books. You should know that your provincial or territorial health insurance plan may not fully cover you if you experience an emergency outside of your home province or territory. Also, many healthcare providers abroad often require payment before you can receive treatment.
An Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance plan with emergency medical benefits may help fill coverage gaps. We may reimburse certain non-refundable expenses for medical treatment and transportation, if you experience a medical emergency while travelling. We also offer plans with trip cancellation and interruption benefits, and baggage protection benefits.
Wherever you roam on your next literary journey, remember to travel responsibly and respectfully. Do your research about cultural norms and the significance of historic places in your literature-loving destination. Also, support local economies and writers when possible, by buying from local bookstores, cafes, restaurants and more.
Bookbound travel is enriching. Embark on a literary journey that inspires and educates. Experience the transformative power of literature and travel.
