Edinburgh Literary Retreat

Friday 29th May - Monday 1st June

Welcome to the Edinburgh Literary Retreat: a book-lover’s journey set in one of the world’s most atmospheric literary cities.

You’ll explore the city through guided tours, museum visits, themed activities, and cosy moments shared with fellow readers.

Whether you’re drawn to historic bookshops, iconic Scottish writers, or magical stories woven into the cobbled streets, this retreat invites you to step inside the pages of Edinburgh’s literary legacy.

What is a Literary Retreat?

A literary retreat is a book-themed travel experience and guided tour; a curated journey through the world’s most vibrant literary destinations. Expect museum visits, walking tours, bookshop crawls, and literary-themed group activities.

(For a sense of what this looks like in action, take a peek at our previous Madrid Retreat.)

Edinburgh Itinerary

Scheduled Activities

Meet & Greet: We’ll begin with a friendly welcome gathering where you can meet your fellow literary travellers over drinks and ease into the magic of an Edinburgh-inspired bookish escape.

Literary Walking Tour: Together, we’ll wander Edinburgh’s historic streets on a guided tour, exploring the stories, legends, and celebrated authors who shaped the city’s rich literary heritage.

Edinburgh Writers’ Museum: Step inside the world of Scotland’s greatest writers as we tour the Edinburgh Writers’ Museum, discovering artifacts, manuscripts, and the personal histories of icons like Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Bookshop Crawl: No literary adventure would be complete without time among the shelves. We’ll explore some of Edinburgh’s most charming and atmospheric bookshops, uncovering new reads, hidden gems, and local favourites.

Sherlock Holmes Mystery: Channel your inner detective as we take part in a Sherlock Holmes–inspired mystery experience, solving clues and unravelling a story that brings Arthur Conan Doyle’s world to life.

Harry Potter Sites: We’ll visit the iconic places that inspired J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world, from atmospheric cafés to magical corners of the city where the spirit of Harry Potter still lingers.

Literary Pub Crawl: As evening falls, we’ll join a lively literary pub crawl, following in the footsteps of Edinburgh’s most famous writers while enjoying storytelling, humour, and a taste of the city’s legendary pub culture.

What’s Included

Join what and when you want to. If you’d prefer to skip an activity or a group meal, that’s absolutely fine. Your time is yours.

Beautiful accommodation in the city centre (see below)
Welcome dinner
Literary walking tour of Edinburgh
Literary pub crawl
Visit to the Edinburgh Writers' Museum
Bookshop crawl
Sherlock Holmes Murder Mystery
Goodie bag

The finalised itinerary with timings and full details will be sent in the retreat guide to all attendees a few weeks before the retreat. This is so we can confirm numbers for activities, make reservations, and potentially include additional bookshop events, performances and workshops, which may not be announced yet.

Accommodation

Modern, well-equipped apartment accommodation in the heart of Edinburgh, a short walk from major attractions such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Mile.

The apartments are configured with two or three bedrooms (all ensuite) and feature a dining area, a comfortable seating space, and amenities including a dishwasher and coffee machine.

Pricing

Double Room

Double bed, ensuite bathroom, full itinerary, one person.

Double Room

Double bed, ensuite bathroom, full itinerary, two people sharing (booking together).

Social Program Option

Pay just for the activities and book your own accommodation.

Your Host

Hi! I’m Amy. the founder of Page Traveller and host of Nomad Book Club!

After 10+ years of running this literary travel blog, 3+ years of working in the travel industry, as well as 15+ years of full-time travelling and living overseas, I decided to set up these retreats to create the exact travel experience that I am always looking for.

Are bookshops the first thing you look for when you arrive in a city? Do you like to read novels set in the places you visit? Are you guilty of overpacking books? Me too!

Testimonials

“Really Interesting”

I had a very nice few days in Madrid on the retreat led by Amy. The group was lovely and friendly. The bookshops we visited were really interesting and the poetry workshop was fun and relaxed. Our evening dinners were very relaxed and unstuffy. Overall a really pleasant experience

“I Learned a Lot”

I had a great weekend at the Madrid Literary Retreat. I enjoyed seeing the city from a different point of view and I learned a lot about Spain and Madrid’s active literary scene.

“Meaningful Connections”

It’s wonderful to connect with others and see things from different perspectives. Sharing my own unique viewpoints has been such a valuable experience. Not only I could remember the book more deeply and longer thanks to that experience, I’ve also enjoyed forming meaningful connections and having deeper conversations that only books can facilitate. I highly recommend joining this nomad book club whenever you can!

“Fun and Welcoming”

I really enjoyed the Bansko Nomad Book Club with Amy! It was such a fun and welcoming space to connect with fellow nomads and book lovers from all over the world. The group felt comfortable and engaging, and I loved being able to share, connect, and hear different perspectives. It’s the perfect way to stay connected with other readers while traveling.

“Cozy Vibe”

Amy’s book club is a great way to think deeper about the destinations you visit. I really enjoyed sharing my findings with others and seeing how certain themes played out in each place. The discussions are fun and insightful, and amy does great creating a cozy vibe for the group! Check it out if you can!

“Very Valuable”

I really enjoyed to see how passionate you’re about it and the fact you’ve acquired a lot of knowledge of different books that are specific to the place you’ve traveled and know we get to explore and discuss about these. I’d say is very valuable to connect with others and get first-head recommendations on books they’re reading and also benefited their lives.”

How to Book

To secure your spot, first fill out the enquiry form below.

Within 24 hours you’ll be contacted via email by Amy (check your spam folder) with an invoice and a space will be held for 1 week.

A 20% deposit is required to confirm the place, or you can choose to pay the full balance upfront. Deposits are non-refundable unless the retreat is cancelled and the full balance must be settled 1 month before the retreat start date.

If you would prefer to pay in another currency or have any other questions, please let me know in the “Additional information” box:

Please note that this retreat requires a minimum of 5 attendees to go ahead.

If we are still less than 4 people a month before the start date, the retreat will be cancelled and all payments refunded.