For book lovers, few things are as magical as stepping into the pages of a beloved novel – except, perhaps, stepping into the real-world places that inspired them. From windswept moors to cobbled streets, the settings of great literature often exist beyond fiction, waiting to be explored by curious and well-read travellers. Whether you’ve dreamed of walking in the footsteps of Elizabeth Bennet, solving mysteries in Holmes’ London, or sipping coffee where Hemingway once wrote, literary travel offers a deeper connection to the stories we love.

In this guide, we’ll explore real-life destinations that served as the backdrop for iconic books – places where fiction and reality beautifully blur. Pack your favourite dog-eared novel and a good pair of walking shoes – it’s time to turn your next trip into a literary pilgrimage.

17 Best Book-Based Travel Destinations to Visit

1. Prince Edward Island, Canada

– Featured in: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Prince Edward Island is the beating heart of Anne of Green Gables, the beloved coming-of-age novel following Anne Shirley, an imaginative orphan who brings charm and chaos to the fictional village of Avonlea. While Avonlea may be fictional, it was inspired directly by Montgomery’s real-life home on PEI.

The island’s rolling green hills, red sandstone cliffs, and quaint farmsteads are virtually unchanged since Montgomery’s time, making it a true literary pilgrimage for fans. Visitors can tour the author’s childhood home, stroll through the “Haunted Wood” and “Lover’s Lane,” and explore Green Gables Heritage Place – every page comes to life here.

Why visit? For fans of classic literature and lovers of slow travel, PEI is a dream of pastoral beauty, seaside charm, and literary nostalgia.

📖 Book: Anne of Green Gables

🌍 Country: Canada

✍️ Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery

📍 Must-See: Green Gables Heritage Place, Cavendish, Montgomery’s Homestead

🎯 Best For: Families, classic lit lovers, slow travelers

2. Kyoto, Japan

– Featured in: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha paints a vivid, often romanticised portrait of Kyoto’s Gion district, the heart of geisha culture in the early 20th century. While the novel sparked debate over its accuracy, it undeniably awakened global fascination with the traditions and aesthetics of Kyoto.

Today, the Gion district still echoes the refined elegance depicted in the book. Visitors can wander atmospheric streets lined with machiya (traditional wooden townhouses), catch glimpses of real geisha, and even attend a cultural performance or tea ceremony.

Why visit? It’s a chance to step into a world of subtle beauty, historical depth, and cultural intrigue. Visiting this bookish destination? Check out the best hotels in Kyoto to stay in.

🎯 Best For: Culture seekers, photographers, Japanophiles

📖 Book: Memoirs of a Geisha

🌍 Country: Japan

✍️ Author: Arthur Golden

📍 Must-See: Gion District, Kiyomizu-dera, Hanamikoji Street

3. Cartagena, Colombia

– Featured in: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

This sultry port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast is the evocative backdrop for Love in the Time of Cholera, Márquez’s lush story of unrequited love and devotion. Cartagena’s colonial architecture, colourful streets, and humid air saturate the novel, giving it a sense of timeless romance.

Walking through Cartagena’s walled city, it’s easy to see how Márquez was inspired. The balconies dripping in bougainvillea, horse-drawn carriages, and sea breeze create a dreamy atmosphere that echoes the novel’s themes.

Why visit? Cartagena is a blend of tropical charm, literary history, and UNESCO-protected beauty.

📖 Book: Love in the Time of Cholera

🌍 Country: Colombia

✍️ Author: Gabriel García Márquez

📍 Must-See: Walled City, Plaza de los Coches, San Felipe Castle

🎯 Best For: Romance lovers, Latin American lit fans, architecture buffs

4. Key West, Florida, USA

– Featured in: To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

Key West was more than a setting for Hemingway – it was his home. To Have and Have Not, a novel about smuggling and desperation during the Great Depression, is set against the backdrop of this island paradise-turned-literary hotspot.

Today, visitors can tour Hemingway’s former residence (home to his famous six-toed cats), visit the local bars he frequented like Sloppy Joe’s, and soak up the laid-back, sun-drenched atmosphere that inspired his prose.

Why visit? It’s a pilgrimage for Hemingway fans, but also a vibrant destination for anyone who loves the tropics, history, and storytelling.

📖 Book: To Have and Have Not

🌍 Country: USA

✍️ Author: Ernest Hemingway

📍 Must-See: Hemingway House, Sloppy Joe’s, Duval Street

🎯 Best For: Hemingway fans, island lovers, U.S. literary travellers

5. Edinburgh, Scotland

– Featured in: Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

While Hogwarts is a magical realm of its own, much of the inspiration for the Harry Potter series came from the medieval streets and Gothic architecture of Edinburgh. J.K. Rowling famously penned large sections of the books in the city’s cafés, and fans can trace the wizarding world’s roots through its cobbled lanes.

The Elephant House Café (currently under renovation), Greyfriars Kirkyard (home to “Tom Riddle’s” grave), and Victoria Street (believed to have inspired Diagon Alley) are key stops on any literary tour of the city. Edinburgh even hosts an annual Harry Potter walking tour for superfans.

Why visit? The city itself feels like a fairytale – with or without magic. It’s atmospheric, walkable, and steeped in literary history. Check out our guide to the best afternoon tea in Edinburgh for a sweet treat while you’re there.

📖 Book: Harry Potter series

🌍 Country: Scotland

✍️ Author: J.K. Rowling

📍 Must-See: Greyfriars Kirkyard, Victoria Street, The Elephant House

🎯 Best For: Fantasy lovers, city explorers, Potterheads

6. Paris, France

– Featured in: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Paris is no stranger to literary fame, but perhaps no work has immortalised its grit and grandeur like Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. Set during a time of revolution and upheaval, the novel weaves its characters through the heart of the city – from the depths of the sewers to the heights of Montmartre.

Many of the city’s locations remain as Hugo described them: the Luxembourg Gardens where Marius and Cosette walked, or Rue Plumet, where Cosette lived in hiding. Hugo’s house in the Place des Vosges is now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

Why visit? For a romantic yet raw view of Paris, this literary lens lets you explore beyond the Eiffel clichés and into the soul of the city. Staying in Paris? Check out the best boutique Paris hotels!

📖 Book: Les Misérables

🌍 Country: France

✍️ Author: Victor Hugo

📍 Must-See: Hugo’s House, Rue Plumet, Luxembourg Gardens

🎯 Best For: Classic lit fans, history buffs, culture seekers

7. Jaipur, India

– Featured in: The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

While The Palace of Illusions is a retelling of the ancient Indian epic The Mahabharata, it’s written through the lens of Panchaali (Draupadi), a strong and complex heroine. The city of Jaipur, with its grand palaces and mythic ambiance, echoes the regal, otherworldly tone of the novel – even if the events are rooted in mythology rather than modern geography.

The pink city’s ornate palaces and temples offer the perfect setting to reflect on themes of destiny, power, and love explored in the novel. Though not directly named, Jaipur captures the spirit of India’s epic past, especially when visiting sites like Amer Fort and Hawa Mahal.

Why visit? For readers intrigued by mythology, feminism, and regal architecture, Jaipur brings the drama of The Mahabharata to life.

📖 Book: The Palace of Illusions

🌍 Country: India

✍️ Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

📍 Must-See: Amer Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal

🎯 Best For: Mythology fans, cultural travellers, history lovers

8. Dublin, Ireland

– Featured in: Ulysses by James Joyce

Dublin is inseparable from Ulysses, the famously dense modernist novel that follows Leopold Bloom over the course of a single day, June 16th, 1904. Joyce’s deeply detailed rendering of Dublin turns the city into a character in its own right.

Today, literary pilgrims can retrace Bloom’s steps on “Bloomsday” each year or visit the James Joyce Centre. From the Martello Tower to Davy Byrne’s Pub, the city celebrates Joyce’s legacy at nearly every turn.

Why visit? It’s a mecca for literary purists and modernist lit fans – a chance to turn abstract prose into vivid, walkable reality.

📖 Book: Ulysses

🌍 Country: Ireland

✍️ Author: James Joyce

📍 Must-See: James Joyce Centre, Sandycove Tower, Davy Byrne’s Pub

🎯 Best For: Literary scholars, Joyce fans, culture vultures

9. New Zealand (Matamata)

– Featured in: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

While Tolkien never visited New Zealand, Peter Jackson’s cinematic adaptation of The Lord of the Rings transformed the country into Middle-earth. The town of Matamata, with its rolling hills and dramatic landscapes, became Hobbiton – and today, fans can walk right into the Shire.

The film set is preserved and open to visitors, complete with hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and the famous Party Tree. Even non-Tolkien fans can’t help but be enchanted by the beauty of the region.

Why visit? For fantasy lovers, it’s the ultimate journey into an imaginary world made real.

📖 Book: The Lord of the Rings

🌍 Country: New Zealand

✍️ Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

📍 Must-See: Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata, Tongariro National Park (Mount Doom)

🎯 Best For: Fantasy lovers, families, film fans

10. Florence, Italy

– Featured in: A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

Florence provides the romantic and transformative backdrop in A Room with a View, the Edwardian-era novel about self-discovery, societal expectations, and love. The story follows Lucy Honeychurch as she visits Italy and is awakened – both emotionally and intellectually – by the city’s beauty and her encounters there.

Much of the novel takes place in and around the Piazza della Signoria and the Arno River. The Pensione Bertolini may be fictional, but many of the sights are not. Florence is still the perfect place to question conformity and fall in love – with art, architecture, or someone new.

Why visit? Florence is a city of passion, art, and slow revelations – just like the book. Check out our guide to the best cocktail bars and the best restaurants in Florence.

📖 Book: A Room with a View

🌍 Country: Italy

✍️ Author: E.M. Forster

📍 Must-See: Piazza della Signoria, Basilica di Santa Croce, Uffizi Gallery

🎯 Best For: Romantics, solo travellers, art lovers

11. South Africa’s Karoo Region

– Featured in: Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

The stark, semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo serve as the haunting setting in Disgrace, a Booker Prize–winning novel about power, morality, and post-apartheid South Africa. Coetzee’s prose is sparse and powerful – mirroring the empty beauty and unsettling atmosphere of the Karoo itself.

Visitors to the region will find vast open plains, dramatic skies, and the kind of silence that forces introspection. Though not traditionally touristy, the Karoo offers stargazing, solitude, and literary gravitas.

Why visit? For thoughtful travellers looking to explore deeper themes of transformation and identity in a raw natural setting.

📖 Book: Disgrace

🌍 Country: South Africa

✍️ Author: J.M. Coetzee

📍 Must-See: Nieu-Bethesda, Karoo National Park

🎯 Best For: Literary adventurers, nature lovers, philosophy-minded travellers

12. St. Petersburg, Russia

– Featured in: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Few books capture a city’s psyche like Crime and Punishment. Dostoevsky’s St. Petersburg is gloomy, chaotic, and morally complex – just like his anti-hero, Raskolnikov. The novel’s narrative practically oozes from the city’s narrow streets and looming buildings.

Today, fans can visit the Dostoevsky Museum (in the author’s former apartment), stand on the bridges where Raskolnikov brooded, and experience the oppressive grandeur of a city that shaped some of the greatest minds in literature.

Why visit? For those drawn to Russian literature, existentialism, or darker narratives, St. Petersburg is atmospheric and unforgettable.

📖 Book: Crime and Punishment

🌍 Country: Russia

✍️ Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky

📍 Must-See: Dostoevsky Museum, Sennaya Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral

🎯 Best For: Fans of psychological fiction, history lovers, winter travellers

13. Naples, Italy

– Featured in: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

The first in the acclaimed Neapolitan Novels, My Brilliant Friend explores the intense friendship between Elena and Lila in a poor neighborhood in post-war Naples. The city is both gritty and beautiful – a living, breathing backdrop to their coming-of-age story.

Naples’ chaotic charm, crumbling grandeur, and coastal beauty reflect the emotional complexity of the book. Fans can wander the narrow alleyways of Rione Luzzatti, visit the historic center, or gaze across the bay at Mount Vesuvius, just as the characters do.

Why visit? It’s perfect for fans of character-driven dramas and anyone who wants to experience the rich contradictions of southern Italy.

📖 Book: My Brilliant Friend

🌍 Country: Italy

✍️ Author: Elena Ferrante

📍 Must-See: Rione Luzzatti, Centro Storico, Lungomare di Napoli

🎯 Best For: Feminist lit lovers, culture seekers, Ferrante fans

14. Lagos, Nigeria

– Featured in: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah follows Ifemelu as she navigates life and identity across Nigeria, the U.S., and back again. The Lagos portions of the book pulse with energy, ambition, and cultural nuance – offering a contemporary, grounded view of a rapidly evolving city.

Travelers to Lagos will find a vibrant metropolis bursting with music, art, and style. The book doesn’t romanticise the city, but it does highlight its spirit, making it an essential stop for readers drawn to diaspora narratives and cultural exploration.

Why visit? To see modern Africa through the lens of literature, identity, and transformation.

📖 Book: Americanah

🌍 Country: Nigeria

✍️ Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

📍 Must-See: Lekki Arts & Crafts Market, Freedom Park, Nike Art Gallery

🎯 Best For: Fans of modern literature, social commentary, Afrocentric travellers

15. Reykjavik, Iceland

– Featured in: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Although this quirky bestseller roams across the world, parts of the novel involve Iceland in its winding, comical journey. Reykjavik, as one of the stops in the eccentric life of centenarian Allan Karlsson, embodies the surreal charm and offbeat beauty of the novel.

Reykjavik is a perfect travel destination for fans of quirky fiction and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Its landscapes are otherworldly, and the city is packed with cultural gems.

Why visit? For fans of dark humor and Scandinavian storytelling – and to experience a place as unusual as the novel itself.

📖 Book: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

🌍 Country: Iceland

✍️ Author: Jonas Jonasson

📍 Must-See: Hallgrímskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall, Golden Circle

🎯 Best For: Quirky fiction fans, solo travellers, lovers of the surreal

16. Tokyo, Japan

– Featured in: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

This genre-defying novel blends romance, fantasy, and dystopia – set against the meticulously described backdrop of Tokyo. While 1Q84 creates an alternate reality, much of the Tokyo we know today can still be felt in its pages: the trains, the quiet streets, the feeling of disconnection in a bustling metropolis.

Exploring Tokyo as a Murakami fan means finding the surreal in the everyday – from jazz bars and libraries to moonlit walks and quiet cafés.

Why visit? Tokyo offers a glimpse into the dreamlike, alternate reality that Murakami is famous for – perfect for literary dreamers and urban wanderers.

📖 Book: 1Q84

🌍 Country: Japan

✍️ Author: Haruki Murakami

📍 Must-See: Shinjuku, Koenji, Tokyo subway lines

🎯 Best For: Fans of magical realism, night owls, lovers of the surreal and philosophical

17. Patagonia, Chile

– Featured in: The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux

Though originally published in 1979, Theroux’s travel memoirs have regained popularity in recent years as people look for slow travel inspiration. Patagonia, at the end of his journey by train from Boston to the southern tip of South America, is depicted as a windswept, remote land of silence and solitude.

For those who enjoy travel writing with a literary edge, Patagonia is the reward at the end of the road – majestic, vast, and humbling.

Why visit? It’s a place for reflection and raw beauty – especially for those who want to disconnect and reconnect with nature.

📖 Book: The Old Patagonian Express

🌍 Country: Chile (and Argentina)

✍️ Author: Paul Theroux

📍 Must-See: Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas, Patagonian steppes

🎯 Best For: Adventure travellers, solo trekkers, slow travel fans