For the Love of Lit: 5 Book Festivals Worth Planning a Trip Around
- Sonia
- Jun 8, 2025
- 3 min read
There’s a new kind of nightlife popping up-and it’s made for book lovers. Literary bars like Book Club Bar in Manhattan and Swans Bar at Maison Assouline and BookBar in London are bringing together cocktails and conversation in settings that feel more salon than speakeasy. The rise of these spaces speaks to something bigger: the joy of reading is becoming a social, even travel-worthy, pursuit.
So if your idea of a vacation includes tucking into a good book, why not let that love of literature shape part of your next trip? Picture spending the morning at an author talk and the afternoon wandering through storybook villages, historic palaces, or vibrant gardens. These literary festivals offer a cultural anchor and when you’re ready to put the book down, just head outside.
From the Scottish Highlands to the streets of Paris, here are five book festivals around the world where literature meets unforgettable setting.
Braemar, Scotland | October
Curated by The Fife Arms, a boutique hotel owned by art-world royalty Iwan and Manuela Wirth, in collaboration with The Queen’s Reading Room, this Highlands- based literary festival is as regal as it is intellectually rich. Set in the heart of Cairngorms National Park, the festival pairs fireside chats with authors and thought leaders with whisky tastings, walking tours, and salon-style dinners.
The Fife Arms
Yatri tip: Stay at the Fife Arms to experience its extraordinary collection of over 16,000 works of art and antiques, then step outside into a village that feels lifted from a novel itself.
Hay-on-Wye, Wales | Late May–Early June
Known as "the Woodstock of the mind," the Hay Festival transforms the tiny town of Hay-on-Wye, which is famous for its dozens of secondhand bookstores, into a buzzing global gathering of readers and writers. Nobel laureates, poets, scientists, and artists take the stage, while the surrounding hills and riverbanks provide a dreamy backdrop for slow mornings and deep conversations.
Photo courtesy of Hay Festival
Yatri tip: Make a road trip of it and visit the Cotswolds before or after the festival. A stay at The Pig or Estelle Manor makes for an idyllic detour.
Jaipur, India | January
Set against the backdrop of Rajasthan’s pink palaces and heritage hotels, Jaipur Literature Festival is one of the largest free literary festivals in the world and possibly the most vibrant. Think live music, street food, and debates on everything from geopolitics to contemporary fiction. With past attendees like Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, the guest list reads like a literary canon.
Hawa Mahal, a Palace in the city of Jaipur
Yatri tip: Pair the festival with a stay at SUJÁN Rajmahal Palace or Amanbagh for a luxury escape filled with history, elegance, and warm winter sunshine.
Ubud, Bali | October
This tropical festival brings together a global cast of storytellers, poets, and philosophers to explore ideas that matter while embracing the healing energy of Bali. Expect panels, poetry readings, writing workshops, and Balinese dance performances, all in a lush jungle setting. It’s as much about personal transformation as it is about prose.
Photo credit: Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
Yatri tip: Book a villa at Capella Ubud to let your mind and body decompress between festival sessions.
Paris, France | April
Held at the Grand Palais Éphémère in the heart of Paris, the Festival du Livre de Paris is a chic, intellectual celebration of literature in one of the world’s most romantic cities. With French and international authors in attendance, the festival features talks, readings, and book signings across the city’s historic libraries, museums, and bookshops. It’s also a wonderful excuse to spend springtime in Paris.
Grand Palais Ephemere . Photo credit: NYT
Yatri tip: Stay at Le Meurice or Cheval Blanc Paris for postcard-worthy views and impeccable service between literary outings and patisserie breaks.
At Yatri, we specialize in thoughtfully curated journeys. If your travels take you to storybook villages, historic palaces, or vibrant cultural capitals during festival season, we’ll make sure every chapter of your trip is unforgettable.
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