--- title: World Travel: 8 International Cities for English Literature Lovers description: Plan a literary pilgrimage with this guide to storied travel destinations around the world canonical: https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-23T15:00:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:42:28.387Z og:title: 8 Travel Itineraries for English Literature Lovers og:description: Plan a literary pilgrimage with this guide to storied travel destinations around the world og:url: https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 8 Travel Itineraries for English Literature Lovers twitter:description: Plan a literary pilgrimage with this guide to storied travel destinations around the world twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 8 Travel Itineraries for English Literature Lovers by [Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure Jul 23, 2015 3:00 PM UTC by [Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure Jul 23, 2015 3:00 PM UTC Reading can be an escape from everyday life. Some writers—J.K. Rowling, George R.R. Martin, and C.S. Lewis come to mind—created entire worlds only accessible through the pages of their books. But other authors choose to base their stories in the real world, giving fans the opportunity to follow in their favorite characters’ footsteps. Read on for eight vacation itineraries written with book lovers in mind. ### Dublin  BE7CEP Long Room, Trinity College, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland imageBROKER/Alamy Even if Dublin’s only literary son was James Joyce, the Irish capital would still deserve a spot on this list. Once a year on June 16, fans of _Ulysses_—often decked out in period costume—[retrace the fictional Leopold Bloom’s journey](http://jamesjoyce.ie/event/footsteps-of-leopold-bloom-tour-4/) through the city. Visiting another time? Celebrate the stream-of-consciousness connoisseur with a walking tour curated by [James Joyce Centre](http://jamesjoyce.ie/), then stop in the [Dublin Writers’ Museum](http://www.visitdublin.com/dublin-a-to-z/details/dublin-writers-museum/31258/) or sneak a peek of [The Book of Kells](http://www.tcd.ie/visitors/book-of-kells/), housed at Trinity College, to celebrate the bookish history of the city. Prefer poetry to prose? Celebrate the life and works of [W.B. Yeats](http://www.nli.ie/yeats/main.html) at The National Library of Ireland’s interactive exhibit. ### New York City  ANGXD8 New York City Central Park NYC Statue of Alice in Wonderland in the Spring Sandra Baker / Alamy Practically every neighborhood in New York, from The Bronx to Brooklyn Heights, lays claim to an iconic author, so consider this an abbreviated itinerary for the city: Make the most out of a quick trip by checking into the [Library Hotel](http://www.libraryhotel.com/), a Midtown boutique that caters specifically to book lovers, with a reading room, poetry garden, and a collection of texts organized by—what else—the Dewey Decimal System. Start your day with a bite to eat outside Tiffany’s on Fifth Avenue, in honor of Truman Capote’s much beloved short story. Then, make your way uptown to Central Park with stops at the Alice in Wonderland statue, the [literary walking path](http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/mall-literary-walk.html), and—unless you’re a phony—the duck pond made famous by Holden Caulfield in_Catcher in the Rye._ Recreate _From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler_ at the Met, then head to Harlem for a [Renaissance walking tour](http://www.harlemheritage.com/2014/11/02/harlem-renaissance-walking-tour/) or grab a seat at [The Algonquin Hotel](http://www.algonquinhotel.com/round-table-room)’s storied Round Table. Finish with a stroll around Washington Square Park paying homage to poets and writers from Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson to Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. Want to take home a bit of bookish goodness? Pop in [the Strand](http://www.strandbooks.com/)and pick up a worn copy of _A Tree Grows in Brooklyn_ or _Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close_, or pose for a snapshot with [Patience and Fortitude](http://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/library-lions) outside the New York Public Library. ### Bath  CXBBGY Two women in Regency costume walking dogs through Bath city centre during the 2012 Jane Austen Festival Jeff Morgan 15 / Alamy Once a fashionable escape for the London elite, Bath has long claimed tourism as a major industry. After walking through the town’s namesake attraction and sampling [the healing spa waters](http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/pump-room-restaurant), visiting English lit nerds should duck into the [Jane Austen Centre](http://www.janeausten.co.uk/) for a look into the novelist’s life, a talk from a costumed curator, and tea service at the restaurant upstairs—the Champagne Tea with Mr. Darcy and the Lady Catherine’s Proper Cream Tea, which includes warm scones served with locally sourced jam, both come highly recommended. True _Pride and Prejudice_ diehards should plan a trip around the town’s [Jane Austen Festival](http://www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk/other-events/), which features a Regency costume ball. ### London  The inside of the Glove Theatre Pawel Libera Like in New York, the literary sites in London are too numerous to see in a short trip, but here are a few can’t-miss attractions: Fans of The Bard should head straight to The Globe, a replica of the theater where Shakespeare’s plays were performed during his heyday. Too cold for an outdoor show? The [Sam Wanamaker Playhouse](http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/sam-wanamaker-playhouse) next door offers a schedule of indoor performances and concerts by candlelight. Old-school mystery buffs and legions of Benedict Cumberbatch fans can both be seen stopping for a selfie with the sign at 221b Baker Street. While there, check out the [Sherlock Holmes Museum](http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/) for a full exhibit on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective. If you’re in England’s capital around Christmas time, stop by the [Charles Dickens Museum](http://www.dickensmuseum.com/). It’s open year-round, but during the holidays, they go all out with Victorian decorations, mulled cider, and readings from _A Christmas Carol_. English majors the world over can pay tribute to their idols at Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, where writers like Lord Byron, Rudyard Kipling, Jane Austen, William Blake, and many more are memorialized. Have time for a day trip? About an hour and a half outside the city lies [Ashdown Forest](http://www.ashdownforest.org/winnie-the-pooh/AAMilne.php), the original 100 Acre Woods where A.A. Milne’s son Christopher Robin used to play. And finally, no London vacation would be complete for Harry Potter fans without a photo op at Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station. ### Oxford, Mississippi  DCB8FG Rowan Oak the home of William Faulkner in Oxford Mississippi USA. Image shot 2013\. Exact date unknown. Martin Norris Travel Photography / Alamy Part of the genius of William Faulkner is that most of his stories are set in the same fictionalized version of Oxford, Mississippi. Known in the author’s universe as Yoknapatawpha County, the real-life college town boasts not only [Rowan Oak](http://www.rowanoak.com/), the now open-to-the-public abode of the Faulkner family, but also the author’s final resting place in Saint Peter’s Cemetery, where literary academics and co-eds alike [leave half-empty bottles](http://bookriot.com/2013/11/03/literary-tour-oxford-mississippi/) in offering to the Southern storyteller (and notorious whiskey drinker). Throughout the city, be on the lookout for plaques bearing passages of the author’s text or stop by the Thompson-Chandler house, which served as inspiration for the Compson home in _The Sound and the Fury_. If Faulkner’s stream-of-consciousness style gives you a headache, hop down I-55 to explore the [Eudora Welty House](http://mdah.state.ms.us/welty/index.html), filled with the short-story writer’s personal library, and her stunning garden. ### Edinburgh  A2A8DX Castle of Edinburgh Zsolt Hanczar / Alamy Named UNESCO’s first “[City of Literature](http://www.cityofliterature.com/),” Edinburgh offer travelers a taste of bookish history upon arrival; [the main train station in town](http://www.scotland.org/news/waverley-station-pays-tribute-to-sir-walter-scott/) is named after Sir Walter Scott’s _Waverley_, and the literary attractions don’t stop there. London may lay claim to Baker Street, but Edinburgh is where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is said to have dreamed up the eccentric detective—purportedly based on one of Doyle’s medical school professors. His childhood home is now the site of a school; a statue of Sherlock himself stands across the street. If money is no object for your journey, book room 652 at the [Balmoral Hotel](https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/), where J.K. Rowling finished the Harry Potter series—and left her mark on a bust of the Greek god Hermes—then pop in [The Elephant House](http://www.elephanthouse.biz/) for hot cocoa and a peek at the view that is said to have inspired Hogwarts in the first place. Stop in to [Deacon Brodies](http://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/deaconbrodiestavernroyalmileedinburgh/), a traditional pub honoring the real-life inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s _Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_, for a stronger drink or frequent [The Oxford Bar](http://www.oxfordbar.co.uk/) where Ian Rankin is a local. Prefer to hear about from the rising stars of the literary world? Plan a trip to Scotland during the [International Book Festival](https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/); it’s the largest in the world with hundreds of events like discussion panels, book signings, and author meet-and-greets. ### Key West  Ernest Hemingway look- alikes kick off the Running of the Bulls Saturday, July 19, 2014, in Key West, Fla. The whimsical event, a parody of its namesake in Pamplona, Spain, is one of many events during Key West's Hemingway Days festival that continues through Sunday, July 20\. Hemingway lived and wrote in Key West throughout most of the 1930s. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO) Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO Hemingway’s former haunt welcomes fans of Papa year-round, but when the island shines is during its annual [Hemingway Days Festival](http://www.fla-keys.com/hemingwaymedia/). Scheduled events include a lookalike contest, readings, a literary competition, and a quirky take on Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls. Can’t make it to this year’s celebration? Stop by the[Hemingway House](http://www.hemingwayhome.com/) during visiting hours to see the author’s former home and [the feline legacy](http://www.hemingwayhome.com/cats/) he left behind. Not a fan of Ernest? Key West also lays claim to Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, and Shel Silverstein. ### Baltimore  TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Fabienne Faur, US-literature-museum-economy Flowers rest on the burial site of US author Edgar Allan Poe at Westminster Hall in Baltimore, Maryland, on August 11, 2011\. Poe, who lived from 1809 until 1849, became well-known for his mystery short stories and poems. Because of budget problem faced by the city of Baltimore, the Poe museum at is under threat of closing AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB = MORE PHOTOS IN IMAGE FORUM = (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images Few cities are so tied to a single literary character as Baltimore. From its football team, The Ravens—complete with [an aptly named mascot](http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Poe-NFLs-Most-Fierce-Mascot/65A06325-A9A3-4F42-896B-51E8C596A574)—to [The Annabel Lee Tavern](http://annabelleetavern.com/), whose drink menu features cocktails like the Mesmeric Revelation and Morella, the Maryland city fully embraces its former resident, Edgar Allan Poe. True _Tomahawk Man_ enthusiasts should stop by the [poet’s house](http://www.poeinbaltimore.org/museum/) for a tour, raise a glass to _The Raven_ writer at [his gravesite](http://www.eapoe.org/balt/poegrave.htm) à la the “[Poe Toaster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%5FToaster),” or order a round at [The Horse You Came In On Saloon](http://www.thehorsebaltimore.com/), a Fell’s Point bar that claims to be haunted by a spirit named Edgar. _This_ [_article_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/vacations-for-book-lovers) _originally appeared on_ [_Travel + Leisure_](http://www.travelandleisure.com) _More from Travel + Leisure:_ * [The World’s Coolest Bookstores](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/worlds-coolest-bookstores?xid=PS%5Ftime) * [The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/most-beautiful-libraries-in-the-world?xid=PS%5Ftime) * [Your Weekend-Getaway Reading List](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-weepies-sirens?xid=PS%5Ftime) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/"},"headline":"8 Travel Itineraries for English Literature Lovers","datePublished":"2015-07-23T15:00:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:42:28.387Z","description":"Plan a literary pilgrimage with this guide to storied travel destinations around the world","url":"https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/","keywords":["Living","Books","Travel","international travel"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3961499/english-literature-travel-ideas/","name":"8 Travel Itineraries for English Literature Lovers"}}]}] ```