10 Best travel destinations for lovers of literature

Angela Goh

15 Mar 2016

updated the 23 March 2016 à 11:21

1/10
Edinburgh, Scotland
Aptly named UNESCO’s first "City of Literature", Edinburgh offers travellers the Balmoral Hotel, where author J.K. Rowling finished the Harry Potter series - within guest room 652, to be precise. Edinburgh is also where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came up with his idea for the eccentric consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes.
2/10
Glenorchy, Otago, New Zealand
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien would know that many scenes in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies were filmed in gorgeous New Zealand. The town of Glenorchy, graced with spectacular mountain backdrops, was one of the many locations chosen to represent Middle Earth.
3/10
Oak Park, Illinois, United States
A historic village in Illinois, Oak Park is where visitors can find Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. There is also a museum dedicated to the American novelist, who is known for writing A Farewell to Arms and, most notably, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
4/10
Bath, England
English literature fans should check out the Jane Austen Centre to learn more about the novelist’s life. For diehard fans of Pride and Prejudice, the town is also known to throw the Jane Austen Festival, which features a Regency costume ball.
5/10
Yasnaya Polyana, Russia
Located outside of Moscow, Yasnaya Polyana is the former home of Leo Tolstoy. The author wrote both Anna Karenina and War and Peace here.
6/10
New York City, New York, United States
The swanky high-end restaurant of Palm Court, located in New York City's lavish Plaza Hotel, was one of F. Scott Fitzgerald's favourite haunts. A key scene in The Great Gatsby was set in this venue.
7/10
Oxford, Mississippi, United States
William Faulkner, known for novels such as The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, set most of his stories in a fictionalised version of the college town of Oxford. You will also find the author's final resting place here, in Saint Peter’s Cemetery.
8/10
Dublin, Ireland
Oscar Wilde's childhood home can be found at Marrion Square, across from Merrion Park. The house embraces Georgian architecture and now belongs to the American College Dublin, who run a museum and tour there.
9/10
Hannibal, Missouri, United States
Home to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, where you will find a collection of documents, preserves and exhibits relating to the famous American author. Twain is most famous for writing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
10/10
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
H.P. Lovecraft, one of America's great fantasy writers, lived here most of his life. Paying this city a visit might give travellers some insight into the man's work.

We invite you to explore some of the places that have inspired famous writers.

Avid readers are familiar with the notion that writers create worlds and situations that come to life within the pages of their novels. Renowned literary geniuses such as Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, George R.R. Martin, and J.K. Rowling have managed to transport us to a different age, or even a different universe entirely.

Several authors have been known to base their stories on real world locations,while many others have been inspired by the beauty and scenery that our planet provides. Last year, we shared with you 10 vacation spots for animal lovers. Now, from Edinburgh to Baltimore, Glenorchy to New York, here are our top 10 travel destinations for book lovers. Now to book some tickets!

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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10 Best travel destinations for lovers of literature

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