Must See Literary Destinations in Europe
Whenever we travel I typically try to find a literary destination to visit during our trip. Thankfully, Jay willingly puts up with these jaunts! Europe is full of must see literary destinations that I would love to check off my list.
Literary Destinations in Europe
Wigtown, Scotland – Two hours south of Glasgow is Scotland’s National Book Town, officially designated in 1998. Visit all of the 13 bookshops in this quaint town. Even better, book the AirBnB that allows you to run one of them for a week!
Yasnaya Polyana, Russia – A three hour drive from Moscow brings you to Leo Tolstay’s house where he wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina. It is now a museum that you can visit.
London, England – Harry Potter fans must stop at King’s Cross Station for a picture opportunity at Platform 9 3/4. We traveled through King’s Cross on our last trip but didn’t have enough time to trek to that platform. You can bet it’s a must do on our next trip across the pond!
Bath, England – If you’re a Jane Austen devotee, make the trip to Bath in mid-September to experience the ten day Jane Austen festival. Each day is full of fascinating events including walking tours, plays, readings, and of course a Regency ball!
Paris, France – Paris is full of literary destinations, but in my opinion the coolest/creepiest spots are the cemeteries where you can visit famous writers’ graves. Pere La Chaise cemetery’s inhabitants include Oscar Wilde, Honore de Balzac, Moliere, and Marcel Proust as well as Chopin and Edith Piaf. The grave of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir is located in Montparnasse Cemetary.
Dubrovnik, Croatia – I’m assuming most of us who’ve read A Song of Ice and Fire have also seen the Game of Thrones TV show. If so, Dubrovnik is the setting for many of the King’s Landing scenes. You can visit a number of filming locations on your own or through guided tours.
Anne Frank House, The Netherlands – One of the most memorable places I’ve visited is the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Most of us probably read The Diary of Anne Frank in school, but nothing prepares you for the overwhelming emotions of seeing where she wrote those words.
Have you visited any of these literary destinations in Europe? Are there others you would add to the list?
I’ve actually been to Dubrovnik, many years ago before Game of Thrones started. I would love to go back someday!
That’s neat! My parents were there last year and absolutely loved it too.
I loved seeing the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. It’s heartbreaking to walk behind that staircase. The size of the hiding spot/living area was actually larger than I imagined, though.
In Paris, we didn’t have a ton of time so we headed to Shakespeare and Co. — the bookstore. That was spectacular. I’d love to see Oscar Wilde’s home.
I’ve been to Paris twice now but still haven’t seen that bookstore! It’ll be a must-do on my next trip.