5+ Walking Tours for Book Lovers Everywhere

There’s nothing bookworms love more than a blanket, a good book, a cup of steaming coffee and maybe a purring cat or two (ahem, the last one may be just me). The only way you can coax us to give up this veritable paradise and head outdoors (ugh!) is if the destination is an extension of the book, a chance to relive the worlds that we know and love (and the opportunity to meet fellow nerd...uh, fans).

So if you’re one of us, who really needs to go on a vacation (a real one, not the one in the book), or if you have friends who haven’t seen the sun in years, here are over 5 book trails from around the world that will tempt even the most reclusive of our kind to pack our bags:

1. The Harry Potter Trail, London

For all the Muggles who never got their letter from Hogwarts, this is the next best thing. If you like things canonical, you can opt for the official Warner Bros. studio tour, which includes a visit to the actual movie sets like The Great Hall and Diagon Alley. You can also drink some butterbeer, ride a broomstick, or spend your entire life savings at the studio shop.

If you are looking for something more flexible (and easier on the pocket), you can even take a self-guided tour of the famous shooting locations of Harry Potter (including Platform 9¾) with directions from this blog.

2. The Game of Thrones Walking Tour, Dubrovnik

Whether you’re a fan of the books or the TV series, the Dubrovnik walking tour of GoT’s most famous shooting locations will definitely bring out the warrior in you. You can choose between a shorter 1 hr 45 min walk, or go the whole hog with the 2 hr 30 minute one, where you climb the Red Keep. Major attractions include the docks of King’s Landing, Littlefinger’s Brothel (not a real one, don’t worry), the House of Undying and the three areas in which the controversial Walk of Shame was shot for last season’s finale! Plus, you might meet someone on the tour who shares your avid interest in discussing Jon Snow’s hair for hours.  

3. The Hobbiton Trail, Matamata

If Middle-Earth is more your thing, head to Matamata, New Zealand for a tour of The Shire, as seen in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. Your guided tour through this twelve-acre farmland will give you insights into how the spectacular movie sets were created. After the tour, relax at The Shire café with a cup of coffee and reread your favourite bits from The Hobbit. You can even stay in one of the nearby farms that dot the beautiful countryside to complete your Middle-Earth experience. The only thing is, you might never want to come back.

4. The Millennium Trail, Stockholm

If you’ve read Steig Larsson’s bestselling millennium trilogy and wondered what life is like in Stockholm, the Millennium Trail has you covered. Based on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, this two-hour tour takes you on a glamourous journey through vibrant Stockholm. You will be walking past the houses of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander, through the bars and cafes mentioned in the books, ending at the Stockholm City Museum where you can feast your eyes on a Millennium exhibition. Just try not to get murdered on the way.

5. The Angels and Demons Tour, Rome

If you’re a fan of Robert Langdon, ace historian, and share his passion for art and architecture, you can take the Path of Illumination tour in Rome. This guided tour takes you on an intricately mapped journey through the Eternal City and covers many historical cornerstones like the Santa Maria della Vittoria (which houses the famous Ecstasy of Saint Teresa sculpture by Bernini), the glorious Saint Peter’s Square in front of the Vatican City, and the Piazza della Minerva.

If you’ve already reread the book and know where to go, you can always take a self-guided tour of the city to experience the thrill of the Dan Brown chase at your own pace (with frequent stops at for pizza, of course!).

Bonus:

If your tastes are more esoteric, there are many other trails to choose from, be it a walking tour of Agatha Christie’s Devon, home to many of M. Poirot and Miss Marple’s most well-known adventures; a literary pub crawl through Dublin to see the favourite watering holes of Irish legends, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett; or a glimpse into the lives of Beat generation poets through a walking tour of North Beach, San Francisco.

 Whichever you choose, we promise it’s going to be better than just reading the book!