Choosing Bookish Holidays

Bookish holidays are a great opportunity to plan a trip around your literary loves. Think of one of your favourite books or authors, then build an adventure around it. What’s not to like?

In this article, I’m going to mention some of the holidays that I've taken that have had a bookish theme to them. I’ll also come up with some ideas for what I think might be good holidays, as well as those trips I haven’t taken yet but which I’d like to.

E-reader stocked with titles, paperbacks packed in tight? Need a last-minute trip to the airport bookshop? Let’s go!

Porto

I’m going to start with a trip I took a couple of years ago. I’d just finished part of the Camino Di Santiago in Portugal, and to rest my weary bones before I departed for home, I thought I’d spend three nights in Porto.

I didn’t want to walk a lot, as I’d just traversed 150km in five days. As the saying goes, my feet were barking and my blisters had blisters. I was based in the city centre, so everything was nearby. Porto is a lovely, fairly compact city.

On my first afternoon, as I rounded a corner, two people swished past me in black capes over the cobblestones. A few minutes later, a laughing group of similarly dressed young people sat in front of a cafe. Of course, the first thing that came to mind were the similarly dressed students who attended a certain wizarding school.

Curious, I looked it up and found this was indeed the attire of University students in Porto, and has been a tradition for a couple of hundred years. Of course, as I was already on the Google machine, I had to do a further search and what do you know; JK Rowling had spent time in Porto.

JK Rowling and Harry Potter

So it seems that JK Rowling spent a couple of years in Porto in the early nineties, teaching English. She was busy during these years, getting married, having a daughter, and writing the first three chapters of her first book - The Philosopher's Stone. So there’s no doubt she was inspired by the city.

It's said that she scribbled down notes for the series of books whilst supping coffee in the majestic cafe in the old town part of Porto. I didn’t get to visit the cafe during my stay but I did spend a couple of hours exploring the old town - it's a warren of vibrant narrow streets, and stretching down to River Douro. I’ ’ll happily admit I got completely lost here, but that’s one of my favourite things to do on holiday.

It also seems there was another source of inspiration in the city, which now becomes the first stop on my suggestions for bookish holidays - the Livrario Lello.

The Livrario Lello

It was early summer season when I visited Porto, so it was getting a bit busy but not chockablock. When I visited Livrario Lello, I had to buy a ticket from the booth outside for a couple of euros, but you get it back if you make a purchase (I ended up with a hardback of 'bleak house' by Dickens.

“They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all”. —J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

It had been a few years since I’d read the books but you could immediately see how such a beautiful bookshop could become a source of inspiration. I’ve included a couple of photographs here but they don’t do it justice.

It’s beautifully ornate, with a neo-gothic and art nouveau design. The large stained glass windows make you feel like you’re in a Renaissance chapel rather than a bookshop. And of course, you have the iconic beautifully curved staircase right in the center of the store - It pulls your attention as soon as you walk in.

What it also has, apart from a decent selection of books (which the majority of folk weren’t interested in), is a lot of people - I began to find it quite claustrophobic. When I was there people were almost pushing each other out of the way to get the perfect photo for the ‘gram with them on the staircase. And hey, I was a tourist too so I’m just as bad as everyone else. I’d advise early morning visits for this one, as it’s a beautiful space and worth seeing if you’re in Porto.

Ireland

Of course, when it comes to bookish holidays, it’s difficult to look past my own home country of Ireland. We have a rich tradition of famous writers and have won the Booker Prize six times (recently the Prophet) and four writers have won the Nobel Prize for literature - W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney

Of course, it's natural to start in Dublin and I can talk about my own experience of living in this great city, which I did during the late nineties/early noughties, for a total of seven years.

Ulysses

During a barren period between jobs, I decided now was the time I was going to do something I’d been talking about doing for several years - I was going to read ‘Ulysses.’ I had no excuses.

So each day, I’d devote some time to this behemoth of a book. I had the Declan Kiberd Penguin Classics version, with plenty of footnotes. I’d built it up in my head as something intimidating so approached it with trepidation but within a couple of days of reading, I realized something - I was thoroughly enjoying it.

Sure, I was glad for the footnotes for some of the more obscure classical references, though I had read the Odyssey before. What I found was that it became immersive - I got swept along with the character's inner voice, especially Bloom, and it was bawdy, irreverent, and funny.

I loved the rhythm of the writing. I started to read it aloud, just to hear it- it felt like music if that makes sense. Best of all was that I lived on the north side of the city - I’d take the book and head down to Blessington basin, passing Eccles Street, the home of Leopold Bloom. Another day I headed up to the Botanical Gardens, then over to Glasnevin cemetery, where the famous chapter six hades takes place.

The book to me became a living, breathing thing. I’d wander the streets with passages still echoing in my head. I became imbued with the book and it’s one of the most evocative literary experiences I’ve ever had.

There are lots of places referenced in Ulysses that are too many to mention, and of course, there is Bloomsday every year on the 16th of June (the day the book was set in 2004). But mostly I’d say don’t be afraid of the book - it took me three months to read, enjoying it slowly. I can see now why it’s lauded as a masterpiece.

It's a great example of a book being very firmly set in a city. Obviously, Dublin has changed a lot but a lot of the streets and sights remain the same. Do you have any favourite books that are firmly rooted in a place? I haven't read it, but Elena Ferrantes Neoploitan's novels have also been acclaimed as bringing the city of Naples to life.

Statues

Other places I associate with books in Dublin are the statues of Brendan Behan on the north side of the city on the banks of the royal canal (of course). Enjoy 'Borstal Boy' when you visit.

On the opposite side of the city is the Patrick Kavanagh statue, on the Grand Canal on Mespil Road. I wrote about this statue before 9bookcrossing and enjoyed my lunch here on many occasions as I worked close by. Raglan Road is close by too, if you’re familiar with that poem, and I recommend ‘Tarry Flynn’ or ‘The Green Fool’ by the Monaghan poet.

To find out why Behan and Kavanagh didn’t get on, make sure you go on the literary pub crawl around some of the famous city center watering holes. Dublin, as you can imagine, has an incredible range of lovely places to visit. There’s a writer's museum in the city, lounging statue of Oscar Wilde, Trinity College library - you could easily do a week here if Irish writers are your thing. Oh, and the Winding Stair bookshop and restaurant is great for a browse and a bite.

I think that’s enough of Dublin for now, so venturing out of the city on your bookish holiday, I can recommend Sligo, known as Yeats country and one of Ireland's gems.

Sligo

Above is a rare picture of a foundered me at Yeats grave at the windy Drumcliffe church in County Sligo, set against the majestic backdrop of Ben Bulben. Also worth a visit is the lake isle of Inisfree (you can take a boat trip to the small uninhabited island.

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee;

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Check out the Yeats trail for more places to visit.

And speaking of poets, since you’ve ventured this far north, why not a further trip onwards to the Seamus Heaney Homeplace, in Bellaghy, Co. Derry, to the landscape that inspired one of Ireland's most famous poets? Worth a visit

Staying in the north, I have to mention the Armagh Robinson library, the oldest in Ireland (and close to where I live so naturally biased). The library holds a first edition of 'Gullivers travels' by Jonathan Swift, who spent time in the city.

I should also say that you can’t throw a stick in the summer in Ireland without hitting a literary festival. Check them out and you might even see that some of your favorite authors are reading and signing. Last year we had none other than Lee Child signing books at the John Hewitt literary festival here in Armagh. What a perfect idea for a bookish trip (but organise early, Ireland gets busy in the summer months).

I think that's it for Ireland now. A jump across the water takes us to the....

UK

The Bronte Parsonage Museum is a popular attraction in Hayworth, West Yorkshire. Charlotte Emily and Ann all lived and wrote their famous novels here - Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. And of course, whilst you are here, you’ll have to visit the Top Withens, said to be the inspiration for Wuthering Heights, nearby on the south Pennine moors where Heathcliff and Catherine's tale of passion, and revenge played out. Pack your walking shoes for this one.

Further south, I visited Stratford upon Avon a few years ago and of course, I had to get a peek at Shakespeare's birthplace, a home still standing after 500 years. ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell was one of my favorite books of recent years, with a film also forthcoming so expect there to be more interest in this part of the world. When I was there I caught a performance of ‘Hamlet’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and took a boat trip upon the Avon.

Manderly and Cornwall

One building that I can completely visualise in my head is ‘Manderly’, the star of Daphne du Mauriers ‘Rebecca.’ Manderly of course is no more, but the house it is said to be based on is called Menabily, where Du Maurier used to live. This is in private hands, so you can’t get a tour of this gothic country mansion, and it’s barely viewable through the trees. Some things are perhaps best left to the imagination.

You can visit Cornwall though, and even stay at Smuggler's Paradise aka ‘The Jamaica Inn’ which was immortalised by Du Maurier in the novel of the same name. There’s also the lovely fishing village of Fowety, Frenchman's creek and of course, make sure you don't fet lost on Bodmin moor.

Edinburgh

I’ve already mentioned Porto in relation to a bookish holiday, and in particular to Harry Potter, so it’s only natural that I talk about Edinburgh - I’ve just returned from a weekend in Dùn Èideann/Auld Reekie so I’ll write it whilst it remains fresh in my memory.

So top right, you have Victoria Street, said to be the inspiration for diagon alley, where Hogwarts students bought their school supplies for the year. In fairness, Edinburgh is beautifully picturesque and the medieval Georgian architecture with the winding alleyways could certainly inspire any imagination. I should say that you don’t have to tap any brick in the wall behind the leaky cauldron to access Victoria street.

Next is the elephant cafe on Victoria street, where JK Rowling is thought to have written some of her books. But - this isn’t the exact location, as the next picture discloses. The original cafe is located on the nearby George IV bridge, but closed following a fire in 2021. It’s due to open sometime in 2024. The Balmoral hotel on Princes st is slightly more salubrious, and it’s where JK retired to write the deathly hallows.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, as well as being home of the sweet story about Greyfriars Bobby, a dog who stayed by his masters grave, contains a number of gravestones with names that might seem familiar. Thomas Riddell is found here, and you might also spot names such as McGonagall and Moody.

There’s a lot of Harry Potter themed shops in Edinburgh, so there’s plenty of memorabilia to browse if that takes your fancy. Personally I just enjoyed being in such a beautiful city, walking under the shadow of the castle, chilling in Princes Street Gardens. It’s a city that looks just as stunning at night as during the day and it’s fairly compact, so you can walk everywhere.

It was unfortunately closed when I passed, but The writers museum is apparently worth a visit, focusing on three giants of Scottish literature - Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. I liked the Ladies Stair square in which it was located, just off the Royal Mile, with various quotes from famous Scottish writers on the paving stones.

I’m a big fan of Irvine Welsh, but I didn’t get a chance to head over to Leith. If you know the film, the opening sequence is shot on Princes Street and Renton is hit by the car on Calton Street Bridge. The rest of the movie is mostly shot in Glasgow.

National Read a Book Day and World Book Day

Of course we don’t have to head away for weeks to have a book related holiday. What about a day trip in the UK on National Read a book day on September the 6th or World Book Day on Thursday 7th of March? This might be a great opportunity to inspire some of the younger book loving members of the family. Any opportunity to celebrate books should be welcomed.

Dream Bookish Holidays

Some of my dream bookish holidays include being driven around LA whilst listening to Art Pepper and visiting some of Harry Bosch’s favorite haunts. Take the Angels Flight Railway, walk to the Bradbury building, eat at the Musso and frank grill, and finish at the Catalina for some more jazz.

It would also be a dream for me to visit the art nouveau splendor of the Metropole Hotel, setting for ‘A Gentleman in Moscow.’ I'd linger in the marble lobby amongst the red and gilded furniture, sup afternoon cocktails in the mahogany Shalyapin bar. All the while I'd be keeping an eye out for Arkday, avoiding Emile, and maybe summons The Bishop. Of course I'd dine in Boyars, before retiring to my suite, hopefully more opulent than the garret the count was confined to.

Another more fanciful dream would be a stay in a hotel in Night City, the moon colony in Emily St John Mandel's ‘Sea of Tranquility’. Being able to look back at the planet earth would be something special.

Construction is still not underway there, so I might have to opt instead for a stay in ‘The Glass Hotel’ in the novel of the same name on Vancouver Island, keeping an eye out for graffiti of course. I’d also love to visit Antartica, but not sure I’d want to spend a whole winter there like the crew of the Belgica did in ‘Madhouse at the end of the Earth.’

Summary

Those are just some of my own book tourism ideas but I think you can see that planning bookish holidays is something you could have a lot of fun with. I’m sure there are books you’ve read and loved that you could easily base your trip around. Let me know in the comments below if you've done something similar or have any suggestions!