Travel by the book
Lose yourself in a break inspired by your favourite author
WHILE A wonderful story can whisk you away to other lands at the turn of a page, a new series of trips inspired by literature are helping travellers plan real-life escapes inspired by their favourite books.
This month sees the launch of the world’s first Unesco trail in Scotland, designed to take visitors on a cultural journey across the country and linking 13 Unesco designated places, including World Heritage Sites and Creative Cities.
Start in Unesco City of Literature Edinburgh, birthplace of a string of authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dame Muriel Spark, and source of inspiration for authors galore, including Iain Banks and JK Rowling.
Climb the 60-metre tall monument to Sir Walter Scott, visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre and step into the National Library of Scotland, before finding more ideas along the trail at visitscotland. com/unesco-trail, as well as on these literary escapes around the world.
TAKE A LITERATURE CRUISE Marella Cruises has launched its first literature-themed itinerary reliving the ‘golden afternoon’ on a 16-night Transatlantic Cruise, which inspired Alice’s Adventures departing from Jamaica in 2022. in Wonderland.
Setting sail from Montego Bay Or look overseas and hear on April 19, the cruise features the Call of the Wild in Alaska, be guest talks and interactive workshops beguiled by a holiday themed with authors as it crosses around the Arabian Nights in the Atlantic from the Caribbean, Morocco, Journey to the Centre of the stopping in Antigua, Madeira and Earth in Iceland and even search Gibraltar along the way, for Treasure Island in the before finishing in Caribbean’s British Dubrovnik. Virgin Islands.
The trip also The company includes writing can also create workshops breaks focused with crime on your own novelist Barbara personal Nadel favourite and poet Jacqueline tale. Gabbitas, Rates start among from £3,500 others. per person for
Priced from six nights in £1,644 all-inclusive Morocco, excludon Marella ing flights. blacktoExplorer 2. tui.co.uk/ mato.com/story cruise
STEP INTO A CHILDREN’S CLASSIC
Theme your holiday around your children’s favourite book, with the Take me on a Story collection of itineraries from Black Tomato.
The range of five bespoke trips include a staycation in Oxfordshire playing croquet, enjoying a fabulously mad tea party and
FIND THE GIANTS OF THE DEEP SOUTH
If it’s American authors which fill your bookshelf, head to the states of the Deep South to walk in the footsteps of a string of literary greats.
Last year marked the 60th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird
— with the novel also coming to the stage in London’s West End in
March 2022 — and you can explore the inspiration for its setting in Monroeville, Alabama, which has links to Truman Capote as well. In nearby Montgomery, the F Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum occupies the couple’s former home, where they lived in 1931-32 and where Tender is the Night was partly written.
Or follow the Mississippi Writers Trail (arts.ms.gov/writers-trail), passing places which inspired a series of classic works, learning more about authors including William Faulkner, Eudora Welty and Tennessee Williams from 12 markers along its route.
America As You Like It has a 14-night Literary Trail of the South holiday, from £1,794 per person, including flights. americaasyoulikeit.com