News India Live, Digital Desk : Literary Travel 2026 : A true journey is one where you are reminded of your favorite author or the smell of an old library mesmerizes you. There are some cities around the world which have been declared ‘City of Literature’ by UNESCO. If you’re planning your next ‘reading retreat’ in 2026, nothing could be better than these cities.
1. Edinburgh, Scotland (UNESCO City of Literature)
The world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, Edinburgh is also known as the birthplace of ‘Harry Potter’.
USP: from here Scottish Storytelling Center And the Writers’ Museum.
Experience: Walk down Victoria Street, where J.K. Rowling came up with the idea of ’Diagon Alley’.
2. Paris, France: The second home of writers
The relationship between Paris and literature is centuries old. Everyone from Ernest Hemingway to James Joyce has spent time here.
USP: Shakespeare and Company The bookstore, which is a place of pilgrimage for book lovers from all over the world.
Experience: Book stalls (Bouquinistes) and literary cafés of the Latin Quarter.
3. Dublin, Ireland: City of Oscar Wilde
There is literature in the very air of Dublin. The city has been home to great writers like James Joyce and Samuel Beckett.
USP: Trinity College Old Library And ‘Book of Kells’.
Experience: ‘Dublin Literary Pub Crawl’ where you can enjoy history and drinks together.
4. Kolkata, India: City of happiness and books
Asia’s largest book market and the world’s most attended book fair is the lifeblood of Kolkata.
USP: College Street (Boipara)where the world’s oldest and rarest books can be found.
Experience: To be a part of literary discussion (adda) by sitting in the ‘Coffee House’ of College Street.
List of 7 Favorite Cities for Book Lovers
| City | Why is it famous? | main attractions |
|---|---|---|
| edinburgh | First UNESCO City of Literature | J.K. Rowling’s favorite cafes |
| Paris | writers’ den | Shakespeare & Company Bookstore |
| dublin | rich literary history | Trinity College Old Library |
| Kolkata | College Street and Book Fair | The world’s largest non-trade book fair |
| Buenos Aires | Most bookshops per capita | ‘El Ateneo Grand Splendid’ (Theatre Bookshop) |
| hey-on-wye | ‘City of Books’ (Val | More than 20 second hand book shops |
| London | The legacy of Shakespeare and Dickens | British Library and Charles Dickens Museum |
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina: The World’s Most Beautiful Bookstore
The Argentine capital has more bookshops per capita than any other city in the world.
USP: The Grand Splendid Athenaeumthis is a bookstore housed in a grand old theater that looks like a palace.
6. Hay-on-Wye, Wales: Book Town
It is a small town which is famous only for books. The population here is less but the book shops are innumerable.
USP: happening here every year hey festivalwhich Bill Clinton called the ‘Woodstock of the brain’.
7. London, United Kingdom: the center of great sagas
From Charles Dickens to Virginia Woolf, London has produced many great names in literature.
USP: British Librarywhere the world’s rarest manuscripts are kept.
Experience: Finding books on the banks of the River Thames at the ‘Open-Air Book Market’ on the Southbank.
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