These places allow you to step directly into the world of a story you love.
A great book has the power to transport you to another time and place, to make a fictional world feel as real as your own. For the literary traveler, there is no greater thrill than visiting the real-life locations that inspired these stories, or the places where their favorite authors lived and wrote. It is a unique kind of pilgrimage that blurs the lines between imagination and reality.
These destinations offer the magical experience of walking through the pages of a beloved book, allowing you to see the world through your favorite character’s eyes.
1. Dublin, Ireland is the living map of James Joyce’s “Ulysses”.
The city of Dublin is not just the setting for James Joyce’s masterpiece, “Ulysses”; it is the book’s main character. The novel meticulously documents the wanderings of its protagonist, Leopold Bloom, through the streets of Dublin on a single day, June 16th, 1904. For fans of the book, a visit to the city is a chance to retrace his steps.
You can visit the Martello Tower where the novel begins, have a gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of burgundy at Davy Byrnes pub, and walk the same streets that Joyce brought to life with such incredible detail, as stated in the Robb Report. Every year on June 16th, “Bloomsday,” the entire city celebrates the book with readings and costumed revelers.
2. Paris, France is Ernest Hemingway’s “A Moveable Feast”.
Ernest Hemingway’s memoir of his time as a young, struggling writer in 1920s Paris has inspired countless literary pilgrimages to the city. “A Moveable Feast” is a love letter to the cafes, bars, and bookshops where he and other “Lost Generation” writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein honed their craft. A trip to Paris is a chance to step into that world.
You can have a coffee at Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore, browse the shelves of the famous Shakespeare and Company bookshop, and wander through the Jardin du Luxembourg, imagining the conversations and creative energy that once filled those very spaces, according to Yahoo! Life.
3. The English countryside is the heart of Jane Austen’s world.
The romantic novels of Jane Austen are defined by their charming and elegant setting in the English countryside and spa towns of the Regency era. To step into the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, a tour of the English countryside is a must. The Georgian city of Bath, where Austen lived, is a primary destination, with its perfectly preserved Royal Crescent and Pump Room, as mentioned in BuzzFeed.
You can also wander through the picturesque villages of the Cotswolds, which feel like they were plucked straight from the pages of “Pride and Prejudice.” Visiting these places allows you to connect with the landscape and architecture that shaped Austen’s witty and timeless stories.
4. The Scottish Highlands are the backdrop for “Outlander”.
Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series has created a massive wave of tourism to the Scottish Highlands, as fans flock to see the dramatic landscapes that are the setting for Claire and Jamie’s epic romance. The books and the TV show have brought the region’s tumultuous history to life for a global audience, and a visit here is a chance to walk through that history.
You can visit the real Culloden Battlefield, where the fateful battle that shaped the story took place, see the ancient Clava Cairns, a set of standing stones that resemble the fictional Craigh na Dun, and explore the many castles that were used as filming locations.
5. Prince Edward Island, Canada is the home of “Anne of Green Gables”.
For generations of readers who grew up with the beloved character of Anne Shirley, a trip to Prince Edward Island in Canada is the ultimate literary pilgrimage. L.M. Montgomery’s novel is a love letter to the island’s gentle, pastoral beauty, and the province has fully embraced its connection to the story.
The main attraction is the Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, the real green-gabled farmhouse that inspired the book. You can tour the house, which has been furnished to match the descriptions in the novel, and walk through the “Haunted Wood” and “Lovers’ Lane.” It’s a charming and nostalgic trip for fans of all ages.
6. New Orleans, Louisiana is Anne Rice’s vampire playground.
Anne Rice’s gothic novels, particularly “Interview with the Vampire,” transformed New Orleans into a dark, romantic, and supernatural landscape. Her descriptions of the city’s crumbling mansions, ornate cemeteries, and sultry French Quarter atmosphere are a huge part of the books’ appeal. A visit to the city is a chance to immerse yourself in that gothic world.
Fans can take vampire-themed tours that point out the locations from the novels, including the elegant Garden District homes that served as the models for the vampires’ lairs. The city’s unique, decadent, and slightly spooky vibe makes it the perfect place to feel like you’ve stepped into one of her stories.
7. London, England is the foggy domain of Sherlock Holmes.
The stories of Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, are inextricably linked to the foggy, gaslit streets of late Victorian London. The city itself is a key character in the mysteries, and a visit to London is a chance for fans to play detective themselves. The most famous stop, of course, is 221B Baker Street, which is now a dedicated Sherlock Holmes Museum.
You can also visit many of the real locations that are mentioned in the stories, from Scotland Yard to the Lyceum Theatre. Just wandering through the older parts of the city can evoke the moody, mysterious atmosphere that made the Holmes stories so captivating.
8. Florence, Italy provides a room with a view.
E.M. Forster’s classic novel, “A Room with a View,” is a beautiful story of a young English woman’s romantic and personal awakening, set against the stunning backdrop of Florence at the turn of the 20th century. The city’s art, architecture, and passionate culture are what inspire her transformation. A trip to Florence is a chance to experience that same inspirational beauty.
You can stroll along the Arno River, as the characters do, visit the Piazza della Signoria, and immerse yourself in the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery. The book is a perfect literary guide to the city’s romantic and artistic treasures.
9. Key West, Florida is pure Hemingway.
Ernest Hemingway is another author whose identity is deeply tied to a specific place. He lived and wrote in Key West throughout the 1930s, and his hard-drinking, adventurous lifestyle became a part of the island’s local lore. A visit to Key West is a chance to walk in the footsteps of “Papa.”
You can tour the beautiful Spanish colonial home where he wrote some of his most famous works, which is now a museum famously populated by six-toed cats descended from his own. You can also visit his favorite bar, Sloppy Joe’s, and imagine him holding court there after a long day of fishing.
10. The Mississippi River is Mark Twain’s America.
Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is one of the greatest American novels, and its main character is the mighty Mississippi River itself. The river is the stage for Huck and Jim’s journey, a symbol of freedom, adventure, and the complex soul of America. To connect with the book, you have to connect with the river.
A trip to Twain’s hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, is a great place to start, as it was the inspiration for the fictional St. Petersburg. For a more immersive experience, taking a riverboat cruise, even for a day, allows you to see the landscape that shaped the story and to imagine Huck and Jim drifting down that same powerful current.
11. California’s Central Valley is Steinbeck country.
John Steinbeck’s powerful novels are deeply rooted in the landscapes of his native state of California, particularly the Central Valley and the Monterey coast. “The Grapes of Wrath” tells the story of the Joad family’s journey to the agricultural heartland of the state. A road trip through this region offers a glimpse into the world he wrote about.
You can drive parts of Route 66, visit the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, and see the vast, fertile landscapes that represented a broken promise for so many during the Great Depression. It’s a journey through a landscape that is not just beautiful, but also deeply resonant with American history and literature.