Literary tours: trips for book lovers

By Stacy Earl · Updated 11 Oct 2026

Literary tours are trips built around books, writers and the places they come from. Some follow one writer, some settle into a reading week, and some leave room to write, so the useful question is what each day of a particular tour asks of you.

What are literary tours?

Literary tours are group trips where books are the reason for going. You travel with a host and other readers to see the places that shaped a writer, the towns where a novel is set, or simply to spend a week talking about books in a pleasant spot.

The phrase is used loosely. People also search for literary travel tours, book lovers' trips and reading vacations, and they mean much the same thing. What differs is the shape: how much is guided, how much is discussion, how much is free time. The host decides, so two tours with the same name can feel quite different. On hosted/trips, every trip has a named host who sets the plan, the price and the terms.

A literary tour is not an exam. Nobody tests what you have read, and you can enjoy a place without knowing every line written about it.

What kinds of literary travel tours are there?

Most fall into a handful of shapes, and knowing which you want saves you from booking the wrong week.

• Following a writer. The route runs through the places of one writer's life: a childhood town, a writer's house, a study kept as it was, a favorite café. The days are mostly visits, with a guide who tells the story.
• Following a book. The trip visits the town where a novel is set, or the landscape that appears in it, and the group reads or listens to passages on the spot.
• A reading week. You stay in one place and read a chosen book or a few of them, with sessions where the group talks them over. It has the feel of a book group that has traveled.
• A festival trip. The group travels to a literary festival or reading event, and the host sorts out the stay and the travel around it. These are listed as event trips, so look there as well.
• A tour with writing time. Visits and talks share the week with time to write your own pages. This overlaps with a literary retreat, which is covered below.

A themed cruise can also be built around books. Our guide to themed cruises explains how those work and what to ask.

Some people like a tour that covers a lot of ground. Others like one base and a slow pace. Neither is better, and the daily plan will show which you are looking at.

Do I need to read the books first?

Sometimes, and the host should tell you. Some tours expect you to have read one or more books before you arrive, because the sessions discuss them. Others are happy for you to come with no preparation, and the guide supplies the context as you go.

Questions worth putting to the host:

• Is there a reading list, and is it required or only suggested?
• How much reading is it, and how long before the trip should I start?
• Will the sessions give away the ending of a book?
• If I have not finished, will I feel left behind?
• Are the books available in large print or as audio?

Most hosts want guests to enjoy the week, not feel behind, and a plain answer here saves worry. If a tour is about a single writer, it can help to have read one of their books. If it is about a place, reading is often optional.

Who leads a literary tour?

A named host organizes the trip, and someone leads the group each day. Those can be the same person or different people, so ask who is who. The leader may be a guide who knows the places, a teacher, a writer or a person who loves the subject and has run trips before.

It is fair to ask about their knowledge in plain terms.

• Who leads the days, and how do they know this writer or these places?
• Do they lead the sessions themselves, or are there guest speakers?
• Is there a local guide at the sites, and who is it?
• How many guests are there per leader?
• What happens if the leader is ill or the plan changes?

A person who knows their subject can usually say how, in a sentence or two. You are looking for specifics, such as how long they have studied the writer or led this route, not a list of big words. If the listing hides who is in charge, ask.

What is a day on a literary tour like?

Most days have a loose frame with a lot of room inside it. Below is an example only, not a real trip. Every host sets their own schedule, and some are fuller or looser than this.

An example day:

• Morning: breakfast, then a short talk about the writer or the book of the week
• Late morning: a visit to a writer's house or the street where a novel is set
• Midday: lunch with the group, with time for people to chat about what they saw
• Afternoon: free time to read, wander or rest, or an optional second visit
• Early evening: a reading, a discussion or a short talk
• Dinner: shared, with the conversation going wherever it goes

Ask for the real outline from the host. Look at how much walking is involved, whether visits are in old buildings with steps, how long each journey is and where the free time falls. If you have a health or mobility question, speak to your own doctor and tell the host before you book, so they can plan around what they know. Our guide to finding your people covers how a shared interest helps when you arrive not knowing anyone.

What is the difference between a literary tour and a literary retreat?

A literary tour is mostly about seeing and discussing: the places, the writers and the books. A literary retreat is mostly about time to write, with a host looking after the practical side.

Many trips sit between the two, with visits in the morning and writing time in the afternoon. If writing is the main reason you want to go, our guide to writing retreats explains the kinds on offer and what each day asks of you. On hosted/trips, a trip can be listed as a retreat, a workshop or both, so browse retreats as well.

What does a literary tour cost?

There is no standard price. Every host sets their own, and the total depends on a handful of things, including the place, the length of the trip, the room type and the size of the group. A single supplement may apply if you want a room to yourself.

Compare what each price includes before you compare totals. Entry fees to houses and museums may be extra, and tickets to a festival or reading event may be too. So may some meals, local transport and any books for the course. Ask the host for a written list of what is in the price and what is not. Then find out the deposit, when the rest is due and what happens if you cancel. Hosts set their own terms, so ask.

What should I ask the host before I book?

Ask what you would want to know if a friend were going. A clear answer is a good sign.

1. Is this mostly visits, mostly discussion, mostly writing, or a mix?
2. Is there a reading list, and do I need to finish it before I go?
3. Who leads the group, and how do they know the subject?
4. What does a normal day look like, hour by hour?
5. How much walking and travel is there?
6. What is in the price, and which entry fees or tickets are extra?
7. What are the room options, and is there a single supplement?
8. What are the deposit and cancellation terms?

For a longer list, see the questions to ask any host. Before you pay, read a short checklist for booking directly with a host.

Find a trip

You can browse group trips and read each host's plan and terms. Some literary trips are listed as retreats, and trips built around a festival or reading event may be listed under event trips. If the right one is not listed yet, set a trip alert for the kind or the place you like, and you will get an email when a new trip is listed.

You book directly with the host on their own site. hosted/trips takes no bookings or payments, and no cut of what you pay the host.

Common questions

Are literary tours only for people who read a lot?

No. Some tours expect you to read before you go, and others are happy for you to come with no preparation. The trip page or the host should say which.

Can I go on a literary tour on my own?

Yes. Many people do, and a shared interest gives you something to talk about from the first meal. Ask about rooms and any single supplement before you book.

What is the difference between literary tours and literary retreats?

A tour is mostly visits and discussion. A retreat is mostly time away to write. Some trips mix the two, so read the daily outline to see how much of each you would get.

Are entry fees included in the price?

Not always. Hosts set their own prices, and entry fees to houses and museums and tickets to events may be extra. Ask for a written list of what is included.