Türkiye Literary & Reading Retreat
Istanbul, 27-31 Mar
Cappadocia, 31 Mar - 3 Apr
This retreat is no longer available. Check out our upcoming literary and reading retreats here.
Join Nomad Book Club in Turkiye this spring for a literary journey unlike any other.
We’ll begin in Istanbul—one of the world’s great literary capitals, shaped by centuries of storytelling, timeless architecture, and a vibrant café culture that has inspired writers for generations.
After exploring the city through its books, authors, and hidden corners, we’ll head to Cappadocia for a peaceful reading retreat set among otherworldly landscapes and slow, restorative days.
Choose Your Adventure: You can join just the Istanbul chapter, just the Cappadocia chapter, or experience the full story by joining both!
What is a Literary vs Reading 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.)
A reading retreat, on the other hand, is all about slowing down. It’s a getaway to a beautiful, restful destination where you can unwind and finally make progress on your TBR, surrounded by fellow book lovers who are doing the same.
And our Türkiye Retreat offers the best of both worlds…
Istanbul Chapter
Friday 27th – Tuesday 31st March 2026
Itinerary
Meet & Greet: We’ll kick things off with a warm welcome gathering. Meet your fellow travelers over drinks and settle into the rhythm of a bookish getaway.
Istanbul Walking Tour: Together, we’ll explore the city’s winding streets and layered history, discovering the stories, landmarks, and hidden corners that have shaped Istanbul’s literary and cultural identity.
Museum of Innocence Visit: Step into Orhan Pamuk’s imaginative world as we wander through the Museum of Innocence, a blend of fiction and reality.
Afternoon Tea at the Pera Palace: We’ll indulge in afternoon tea at the iconic Pera Palace Hotel, a place beloved by writers (Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express here) and home to countless stories of its own.
Traditional Hamam Experience: Enjoy a traditional hamam ritual, a rejuvenating pause in the heart of the city.
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: As evening falls, we’ll dine on the water with views of illuminated palaces, mosques, and bridges on a magical Bosphorus cruise.
Turkish Breakfast: A classic Turkish breakfast; fresh, abundant, and best enjoyed slowly, with good conversation and plenty of tea.
Bookshop Crawl: No literary trip is complete without bookshops. We’ll wander through some of Istanbul’s most charming and eclectic English-language bookstores, discovering new reads and local treasures.
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)
- Walking tour of Istanbul
- Afternoon tea at The Pera Palace hotel
- Bosphorus dinner cruise
- Turkish breakfast
- Bookshop crawl
- Museum of Innocence visit
- Traditional hamam experience
- Goodie bag
- Private transfers to/from the airport
- Private transport within the city for group activities
- Other meals not included in the itinerary
- Additional food and drink outside of the set menus (e.g. additional alcohol)
- Additional activities or upgrades (e.g. massage at the hamam)
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
Our accommodation is comprised of spacious apartments in a private Galata building, with two terraces and air conditioning. Each apartment has two queen bedrooms (each with a private bathroom), a living room and a kitchen.
The location is exceptional—just 300 meters from Galata Tower and Şişhane Metro Station, and close to Istiklal Avenue, Taksim Square, and Galataport.
Pricing
- Pricing is listed per room for 4 nights and applies to either single occupancy or double occupancy (two guests booking together). All rates include the full itinerary.
- Super Early Bird prices (-20% discount) are available until 1st January 2026
- Return attendees are entitled to a further 10% discount
- Booking 2 or more rooms together? That's a further 10% discount
Cappadocia Chapter
Tuesday 31st March – Friday 3rd April 2026
For the reading retreat chapter, the itinerary is left open for you.
- Cave hotel accommodation in a prime location in Cappadocia (see below)
- Return flight to/from Istanbul to Cappadocia
- Private transfers to and from the accommodations and the airports in Istanbul/Cappadocia
- Breakfast at the cave hotel
- All other meals
- Additional activities (closer to the time, attendees will be sent a menu of activities, should you wish to book any in advance, including options for hot air balloons)
Accommodation
Carved into the iconic fairy chimneys that make Cappadocia unique, this family-run cave hotel in the heart of Göreme is just 650 meters from the Göreme Open Air Museum within the UNESCO-listed Göreme National Park.
The traditionally decorated ensuite rooms feature nomadic and Ottoman furniture, while hotel facilities include an indoor swimming pool, spa, and wellness centre.
Pricing
Pricing is listed per room and applies to either single occupancy or double occupancy (two guests booking together). There are options for double or twin beds.
*If you are open to sharing a twin room with another attendee, this can be arranged. Please note your request in the enquiry form at the bottom of this page.
- Super Early Bird prices (-20% discount) are available until 1st January 2026
- Return attendees are entitled to a further 10% discount
- Booking 2 or more rooms together? That's a further 10% discount
- DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
Double or Twin Room
Double bed or twin bed ensuite room, two people sharing (booking together).
- SHARED OCCUPANCY
Twin Room
Bed ensuite room, two people sharing. You must be comfortable sharing a room with another attendee.
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
- Marian, Ireland
“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.
- Anne, Netherlands / Spain
“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!
- Yeji, South Korea
“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.
- Ashley, USA
“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!
- Tej, USA
“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.”
- Fernando, Costa Rica
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 5 people a month before the start date, the retreat will be cancelled and all payments refunded.
Enquiry Form
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