Book Lovers, These Towns Were Made for You

In our unceasingly digital world, the analog experience of turning a book’s paper pages almost feels new again. Fortunately, there are cities and towns around the globe eager to nurture this return to reading, where bookstores outnumber bars, literary festivals rejuvenate communities, and it’s perfectly acceptable—encouraged, even—to spend an afternoon with your head in a book. Here, four bibliophile paradises that invite travelers to get lost in the chapters and sit in the joy of a life well read. Hay-On-Wye, Wales Ideally, you’ll plan your visit to this “town of books,” about 160 miles west of London, during the summertime Hay Festival, typically held in May. The annual event, once dubbed the “Woodstock of the mind” by Bill Clinton, is not only a celebration of reading but a space for authors and readers to gather and discuss social, political, and environmental challenges. No matter when you visit, you’re certain to be among a pilgrimage of readers who have found their literary mecca. 🛍 Where to shop: More than 20 independent bookshops line the quaint streets of Hay, as locals call it. Two must-visits are Murder and Mayhem and Richard Booth’s Bookshop. The former is an ode to detective fiction and crime thrillers, with a commitment to the macabre that extends to the decor. Richard Booth’s Bookshop is a three-story wandering dreamscape of long wooden bookshelves, dark leather seating, and creaking timber floors. You’ll find it all here—including staffers who specialize in each genre and are more than happy to offer a recommendation. 📚 Where to read: Stop by Hay Castle for a history lesson and to find the perfect reading nook. Originally constructed during the Norman invasion of Wales, this medieval castle has been restored into a center for education and literature. At any point during your visit, cozy up in the on-site café or find a spot on the manicured gardens to knock out a few chapters. Before you leave, visit the Castle Honesty Bookstore, an open-air bookstore built into the castle walls. There is no shopkeeper, only a slot and a sign inviting guests to browse and purchase on the honor system (bring cash!). 🍴Where to eat: Chapters is a Michelin Green Star restaurant in the heart of Hay-on-Wye serving a seasonally changing menu that highlights hyperlocal ingredients and produce plucked directly from the team’s gardens. You’ll find pickled concoctions, ferments, and purées alongside local fish and meats, paired with organic wines for a meal that celebrates thoughtful consumption. The ambience leans into rustic countryside elegance, offering an intimate backdrop perfect for reading, people watching, or a little bit of both. 🛌 Where to stay: Reserve one of the 19 rooms at the privately owned The Swan on Hay, a centrally located hotel where cottage charm meets modern designs. The manicured garden surrounded by fruit trees, featuring umbrellaed tables and long benches, marks a favorite spot for readers to while away the hours before grabbing a bite at the property’s on-site restaurant. Expect classic Welsh favorites—braised lamb rump, flat mushroom rarebit, a Welsh cheese sampler—all using seasonal produce from local suppliers. Hobart, New York Crowned the “Book Village of the Catskills,” Hobart is a tiny hamlet centered around a small bookstore-lined drag. Nestled in the northern Catskills, about a three-hour drive from NYC, it offers visitors a perfect day spent browsing shelves and the thrill that comes with finding your new favorite book. 🛍 Where to shop: Hobart’s small size allows visitors to peruse every single one of the seven independent bookstores that are the heartbeat of the town. If you’re hunting for rare and antique books, make William H. Adams Antiquarian Books your first stop. You’ll have three floors to explore, with many books printed before 1850 or focused on events from that period. 📚 Where to read: You’re in the beautiful Catskill Mountains region, so being outdoors is almost a requirement. Directly from Hobart, visitors are able to access a variety of hiking and biking trails, including 26 miles of the Catskill Scenic Rail Trail. Enjoy exploring this recreational pathway that meanders through farm fields, rivers, and quaint towns, making sure to take necessary reading breaks along the way. 🍴Where to eat: Don’t miss Book Village Inn & Bar, where craft cocktails find literary inspiration. Hemingway's daiquiri makes an appearance, as does F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved gin rickey. For food, you’ll find an Argentine-influenced menu, with classics like skirt steak with chimichurri and choripán alongside barroom classics. Kick back with a book in the beer garden during the day, or lounge at the bar at night, sipping the cocktail of the author of your choice. 🛌 Where to stay: Accommodations are limited in Hobart. You could certainly stay at Book Village Inn & Bar, in one of its five literary-themed rooms all equipped with modern comforts. But if you’re willing to travel 45 minutes from town, you’ll find Eastwind Oliverea Valley, a retreat featuring 27 freestanding luxury cabins and cabin suites tucked into the hills. The property houses two saunas, a heated pool open year-round, and a food and drink program inspired by cozy après-ski bars. Make sure to pencil in time to swing aimlessly in one of the hammocks, your nose buried in a novel. Calgary, Alberta The third-largest city by population in Canada, Calgary offers a vibrant destination for literary enthusiasts that is a refreshing change of pace from the often sleepy, romantic bookish towns. It’s precisely the city’s vibrancy that makes it such a unique option for readers of all kinds. 🛍 Where to shop: Horror and dark fiction lovers, don’t miss Nocturne Books. As Alberta's first horror-focused bookstore, you’ll find a curated collection of titles as nuanced as the genre itself. If you’re seeking out local authors, it also has a consignment program which selects a limited number of self-published horror titles by Alberta-based authors to be sold in-store. For something a little lighter (though still sure to get your heart rate going), visit Slow Burn Books, Calgary's ultimate destination for contemporary, fantasy/paranormal, erotica, dark, YA, clean, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC romances. 📚 Where to read: Calgary is home to the longest urban pathway network in North America, clocking in at over 600 miles of trails that run all over the city. Connecting neighborhoods, parks, and reservoirs, it offers a unique way to explore the ins and outs of Calgary. Pack a blanket and your favorite book, stopping at benches and grasslands to read along your journey. Plan a stop along the beautiful glacier-fed Bow River and remember to lift your head from your book from time to time to take it all in. 🍴Where to eat: For a different vantage point of Calgary, book a reservation at Major Tom. Set 40 floors in the sky, expect elevated contemporary cuisine served against panoramic city views. Try one of the inventive craft cocktails and splurge on the local Alberta beef, making sure you save room for the baked Alaska flambéed tableside. If you’re in the middle of a page-turner, sneak in a chapter or two, letting the moody, celebratory vibes work as a background soundtrack. 🛌 Where to stay: The only Michelin Key hotel in Calgary, The Dorian takes its name from the tormented protagonist in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Haven’t read it? Don’t worry—the hotel provides a copy of the book in every guest room. Expect touches of whimsy throughout, including moody wallpaper, mirrors that distort appearance, and full-sized in-room mannequins to “stage” outfits on—akin to prepping a character. But the best book-lover’s touch? The portrait of Dorian Gray himself that hangs in the lobby and subtly transforms from a young, beautiful man to an aged and grotesque skeleton based on anonymous guest confessions. Wigtown, Scotland Part coastal village, part literary oasis, Wigtown is the official National Book Town of Scotland. Just over a two-hour drive from Glasgow and with over a dozen bookshops, you’ll want to dedicate an entire day to browsing the town's curated selections set against calming harborfront views. 🛍 Where to shop: Be sure to visit Byre Books for excellent folklore and mythology picks, and The Book Shop for a classic experience thumbing through shelf after shelf at the largest secondhand bookshop in Scotland. Go hungry to ReadingLasses, where you’ll find a shop dedicated to books by and about women alongside an incredible selection of homemade desserts. Here, you’ll also find books from Persephone Books, a publisher that focuses on reprinting forgotten and neglected books by mid-20th-century female authors. 📚 Where to read: Located on the shores of Wigtown Bay, the town’s historic harbor offers walking paths scattered with benches and picnic tables perfect for cozy reading stops. However, if you’re visiting during the annual 10-day Wigtown Book Festival, there’s no better feeling than laying down in the Louis McGuffie VC Memorial Gardens, the celebration’s outdoor gathering point, and joining a sea of avid readers with their favorite new book in hand. 🍴Where to eat: A Wigtown institution, Café Rendezvous has doled out hearty home cooking and legendary desserts for over 25 years. Grab an order of homemade sticky toffee pudding, a cup of always-flowing coffee, and join the throngs of diners paging through their latest reads. 🛌 Where to stay: At The Open Book, you’ll get to live out the ultimate readers’ dream: running your own bookshop. Booking this unique experience gives you access to the cozy apartment above—with a well-stocked kitchen, electric fireplace, and window reading nook—and your very own functioning bookstore below where you can play bookseller. You’ll have the freedom to choose how the shop will run, including creating window displays, curating the shelves, relabeling prices, and even choosing the hours you wish to be open. It’s a fully immersive experience that sells out far in advance, so be sure to plan ahead.