These Top 10 literary destinations have either been the home or inspiration to many of the greatest writers in Western civilization, and feature remarkable attractions as tributes to those authors, for travellers to enjoy today.
1. Great Expectations: London, England
London was the birthplace or home of many
of the greatest authors of all time, including Charles Dickens, Geoffrey
Chaucer, John Milton, John Keats and HG Wells, to name a few. Visitors can stop
by the home of Dickens, see the house where Benjamin Johnson wrote the first
comprehensive English dictionary, or go on one of many guided walks that let
you follow in Sherlock Holmes’ footsteps.
2. Some are Born Great:
Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Birthplace of William Shakespeare,
Stratford-upon-Avon is a Mecca for the literature enthusiast. Travellers can
catch a glimpse into The Bard’s early life, see the magnificent Royal
Shakespeare Company perform, or pay tribute to the father of modern literature
at his final resting place.
3. The Game is Afoot: Edinburgh, Scotland
We have Edinburgh authors to thank for
some of the world’s most beloved stories and characters, from Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to J K Rowling’s Harry Potter. Take a walking tour of
Edinburgh’s medieval Old Town to learn about Scottish literary characters and
history, or celebrate the contributions of authors Robert Burns, Sir Walter
Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson at the Writer’s Museum. Paving stones
approaching the museum commemorate Scottish writers.
4. Portals of Discovery: Dublin, Ireland
Dublin’s greatest authors from Yeats to
Heaney have often used their home city as their inspiration, evident in James
Joyce’s Dubliners and Jonathan Swift’s satirical A Modest Proposal. Literature
enthusiasts will want to make the pilgrimages to the James Joyce Tower and House,
as well as visit the Dublin Writers’ Museum and the National Library of
Ireland.
Manhattan Bridge over East River
5. A Wink of the Eye: New York, New York
Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg once hung
out in New York’s White Horse Tavern, Arthur Miller, Norman Mailer and John
Ashbery called the city home, and the Harlem Renaissance surfaced
African-American literary greats like Richard Wright and Langston Hughes. Take
a literary walking tour of Greenwich Village or immerse yourself in the New
York Public Library’s immense collection.
6. Live Free: Concord, Massachusetts
A unique destination for its small size
and depth of literary history, Concord is the site of Walden Pond, inspiration
for Thoreau’s “Walden,” and the house where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little
Women. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne also called Concord home in
the 1800s, and for the ultimate literary pilgrimage, visit the final resting
places of all these literary giants in the Author’s Ridge section of the Sleepy
Hollow Cemetery.
7. Absorbed in Thought: Paris, France
Paris’ literary history – from French
authors like Victor Hugo, Voltaire, and Alexander Dumas to Americans such as
Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald and others of the ‘Lost
Generation’- is rich and diverse. With its famous book stalls (Les
Bouquinistes) lining the Seine, and famed literary cafes like les Deux Magots,
frequented by greats like Hemingway and Albert Camus, the City of Light’s
literary vibe lives on.
Historic Beat-era Vesuvio Cafe is a must-see
in San Francisco
8. See with the Eyes of Angels: San
Francisco, California
No top 10 literary destinations list
would be complete without a nod to San Francisco. When Ginsberg and Kerouac
moved from New York to San Francisco, they brought their new literary style
with them, establishing the city as a new hub of the “Beat Generation.” See the
site of their famed first poetry reading, along with others of their circle
like Philip Whalen, at the Six Gallery, or visit the popular City Lights
Bookstore, founded by Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, which brings writing and
progressive politics together. Buy a copy of Howl at City Lights Books, read it
over a beer at the Vesuvio Cafe, you might be sitting in a seat where Kerouac
sat.
9. Time Flies: Rome, Italy
Birthplace of some of the world’s most
influential literature, Rome was home to ancient greats like Virgil, who penned
The Aeneid. But Rome’s literary importance has continued to the present day,
with foreign authors like Keats, Shelley, James and many more coming to draw
inspiration from the centre of the ancient world. Be sure to visit the
Keats-Shelley House on Rome’s historic Spanish Steps, a site visited by many
other authors and artists throughout history.
The former imperial capital of Russia has a
rich artistic heritage
10. Beauty is Mysterious: St Petersburg,
Russia
With its remarkable history highlighted
by Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Alexander Pushkin and Fyodor Dostoevsky, St
Petersburg is a renowned literary destination. Dostoevsky inhabited a number of
apartments throughout the city, and in his last, where he wrote The Brothers
Karamazov, there is now a museum dedicated to his life. Walking tours also
allow visitors to see the city through the famous author’s eyes. Refresh your
memory of the tales and cast in the stories as told by Gogol and Dostoevsky and
others and you will see most of the locations, streets and even boarding houses
just as described.