Are you the type of person who always takes a good book on holiday? These seven bookish destinations might call to you in more ways than one – and they’re straight out of these popular novels.
1. Sussex Square Mansion, Brighton
How many of us fell in love with the story of Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole? Unbeknownst to many, this gorgeous mansion in Sussex Square includes the ivy-covered tunnel that inspired the famous rabbit hole. Not too far away, another mansion in Cheltenham (which Carroll often visited) also contains the huge, decorative mirror that led to Through the Looking Glass.
2. Central Park Pond, New York
If you wander through the south end of Central Park, you’ll eventually come to the duck pond or duck lagoon – the very same one where Holden Caulfield, Catcher in the rye, stands and remarks, “You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?”
The carousel at the Central Park Zoo is also worth a ride, as this is where Holden eventually takes Phoebe and discovers a sliver of happiness.
3. Södermalm, Stockholm
Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist are now household names thanks to Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. The central district of Södermalm in Stockholm is where you’ll find many of the cafes and establishments mentioned in the books, such as Kaffebar (where Mikael gets his coffee) and Kvarnen (where Lisbeth watches the Evil Fingers).
4. The Heathman Hotel, Portland
If you’re keen to spice up your next holiday in a romantically curious way, head to the vibrant city of Portland and get a room at The Heathman. This hotel is where Christian and Anastasia first get together for their bedroom antics in the now highly popular novel, Fifty shades of grey. You can even book a Fifty Shades of Oregon VIP Adventure!
5. Plaça Reial, Barcelona
Zafón’s best-selling book, The shadow of the wind, brought the beautiful 1940s Barcelona to our readers’ fingertips. In the book, the Plaça Reial (or Plaza Real) is where Daniel first spots Clara and also encounters Fermín. You’ll find this popular plaza next to La Rambla down Carrer de Colom.
6. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris
The famed literary classic, Hunchback of Notre Dame, was first published in 1831 (31 years before Les Misérables) to much acclaim and as the title suggests, it is focused around the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.
Even if you’re only familiar with the cutesy Disney version of Quasimodo’s story, a visit to Notre Dame is a must for those visiting Paris. A tour up into the towers is also recommended if you want to see the same views that Quasimodo saw.
7. Harvard Club, New York
Controversy, criticism and cult followings surrounded Bret Easton Ellis’s novel, American psycho, when it first came out in 1991. While Dorsia is fictional, many of the other restaurants and establishments in the book where Bateman and his pals hang out were real, though many have now closed down or changed names.
Luckily, the Harvard Club on West 44th Street still exists. This is where Bateman claims he occasionally “boxes with Ricky” and where he says he is dining alone in an attempt to get away from Evelyn.
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