Travel Destinations for Book Nerds
- LisaBrideau
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
I've been fortunate in my travel adventures to end up in some truly wonderful bookish places so I thought I'd list a few here to help inspire others looking for nerdy book destinations. Happy travels!
1) Haworth, England - home of the Bronte family
I am a huge Bronte fan. Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was the first classic book I read - prompted by a high school reading assignment. I fell in love immediately and read all their works (I'm a Jane Eyre girl). Many, many years later I happened to be attending an Arvon writing workshop in West Yorkshire and when I arrived stumbled on the fact that I was a short bus ride away from Haworth, the village the Bronte family lived in! I dropped everything and went. Touring the Bronte estate was lovely, seeing the handwritten tiny books the Bronte sisters wrote as children was mind-blowing. Wandering the town knowing everyone else there was a book nerd too: very comforting. And walking the moors that feature so prominently in Wuthering Heights was a true highlight.
Unfortunately, I was so caught up in enjoying myself, I forgot that rural towns in England have limited public transit hours and I missed the last bus out. A staff person at the Bronte Parsonage museum was locking up, saw me, and was kind enough to call me a cab so I didn't have to sleep on the moors. Haworth - a bit touristy but highly recommend. 10/10
2) Bath, England - temporary home of Jane Austen from 1801-1806
Bath is just an overall interesting place to visit. The architecture is interesting on its own: the Roman baths, the delights of the town as a place today. Then you layer in that Jane Austen lived there for a bit and there is a Jane Austen centre there to immerse yourself in her life and works and it makes the trip even better. Visiting the assembly rooms that would have held public balls and seeing how tiny it was - suddenly I understood why everyone would be so excited when Bingly offered to host a private ball. There's not really a ton of Jane Austen in Bath, but the place feels a little frozen in time so you can imagine her walking down the streets and it's a lovely trip back in time. Would recommend. 9/10
3) Gladstone's Library, Wales
You guys. It's a beautiful library with an impressive collection of historic books. AND it is a hotel. You CAN STAY THERE. It's a residential library and if I lived in Wales I would permanently rent a room and live there part time (that's not a thing they offer but I would try). The building is from 1902. The historic reading rooms are silent and so beautiful - you pick a desk and work in a space surrounded by books. If that gets old, the lounge area is comfortable and you can make noise there. The cafe means all your needs are met (including afternoon tea). There is a lovely garden. And people are there to work/write/research so it is an introvert's dream. Everyone tries to respect that you are there to think deeply and they try not to disturb you. A beautiful place to focus and make progress on a project. Accommodations are plain but have everything you need (including wool blankets from a nearby mill that has been operating since the 1800s). I found it really restorative and am dying to get back there one day. This is my happy place. 1000/10
4) The National Library State Hall, Vienna
Do you love historic libraries with marble columns and two stories of old leather-bound books? You will love this. It's STUNNING. A baroque library built by Emperor Charles VI with 200,000 volumes dating back to the 1500s. I wish I had research that warranted actually accessing the collection, but just standing in the space is lovely. It will take your breath away as you walk in. I love that someone built such a cathedral for books. Just wish I could curl up in a corner with a book and stay all day. 9/10
Let me know if you've been to any bookish places - I'd love to know what else is out there!
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