What’s the Best Fit for Your Next Bookish Escape?
Reading vacations are growing in popularity, but within the world of book-focused getaways, there are many different options, each with its own vibe, structure, and ideal audience.
The three distinct categories I see are reading retreats, book club retreats, and literary travel.
While they may sound similar, they actually offer very different experiences, and I should know because I’ve done all three!
This retreat guide breaks down exactly what each type is, what a typical itinerary looks like, and what kind of book lover will enjoy it most.
Whether you’re craving quiet solitude, lively discussion, or an adventure tied to your favourite authors and stories, here’s where to start when it comes to reading retreats.
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21 – 24 NOVEMBER 2025
Madrid Literary Retreat
From the legacy of Cervantes to the bookshop/cafés of the famed Barrio de las Letras, Madrid is a city steeped in literary history. Plus, churros. Lots of churros.
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What is a Reading Retreat?
A reading retreat is exactly what it sounds like: time set aside in a beautiful setting to do nothing but read. Bliss! Think of it as a vacation for you and your books.
Unlike a book club retreat (see below), you don’t need to be reading the same title as everyone else—each guest brings their own stack.
The focus is on creating an environment where you can truly immerse yourself in reading without daily distractions.
These retreats are usually hosted by organisations that provide accommodations, meals, and cosy communal spaces.
But you could easily do a reading retreat solo; simply rent a cabin, cottage, or boutique hotel room and dedicate the time to reading. You could even set aside a weekend for a reading staycation at home.
Example Itinerary for a Reading Retreat
- Morning: Wake up slowly with coffee or tea, settle into a sunlit nook, and read a few chapters.
- Late Morning: Optional yoga or nature walk to clear your head.
- Afternoon: Long, uninterrupted reading session with light snacks provided.
- Evening: Dinner with other participants (if it’s a group retreat) followed by quiet reading by the fire.
- Night: Journaling reflections on what you’ve read, then winding down with one last chapter.
Who It’s Best For
- Solo travelers who want quiet, restorative time.
- Introverts who crave a low-pressure getaway.
- Readers with long TBR piles (to-be-read lists) who never find the time at home.
- Anyone looking for a mental reset without a packed itinerary.
If you dream of uninterrupted hours to sink into your books, a reading retreat is your perfect match.
What is a Book Club Retreat?
A book club retreat takes the social aspect of reading and turns it into a getaway.
Instead of gathering in someone’s living room for an evening, you and your group of fellow readers travel to a destination—whether it’s a beach house, mountain lodge, or even a city with literary charm.
Unlike a reading retreat where everyone does their own thing, a book club retreat usually has a shared focus, such as discussing a pre-selected book (or several).
These retreats balance reading and discussion sessions with group activities like cooking meals together, sightseeing, or even attending author talks or literary festivals together.
Example Itinerary for a Book Club Retreat
- Morning: Brunch together, followed by free time to read or explore the area.
- Afternoon: Group discussion of the assigned book, including prepared prompts or themes.
- Late Afternoon: Excursion—perhaps a winery tour, museum visit, or local festival.
- Evening: Shared dinner, game night, or more casual conversations about books.
- Night: Relaxing with optional independent reading or a group movie adaptation of the book.
Who It’s Best For
- Existing book clubs who want to deepen friendships beyond monthly meetings.
- Friend groups looking for a theme-based getaway.
- Readers who enjoy discussion as much as the reading itself.
- People who thrive on shared experiences rather than solo time.
Book club retreats are all about connection: they’re less about how many pages you read and more about creating memories around stories.
Nomad Book Club
Join our Nomad Book Club, where we explore a new country or region each month through books. Sign up to the newsletter here and get added to our private Whatsapp group, then follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for bookish travel content.
What is Literary Travel?
While reading and book club retreats focus on the act of reading itself, literary travel is about experiencing the world through the lens of literature.
Personally, this is my favourite type of reading retreat and my favourite way to travel in general!
This can mean visiting the homes of famous authors, exploring the real-life settings of novels, going on a crawl of local bookstores, or attending literary festivals.
You could also plan entire trips around specific authors—like following in Jane Austen’s footsteps across England or touring Ernest Hemingway’s haunts in Key West, Paris and Madrid…
Others choose destinations tied to fictional worlds, like visiting Prince Edward Island for Anne of Green Gables or Edinburgh for Harry Potter inspiration.
Unlike a book club or reading retreat, literary travel is usually more active and sightseeing-focused, blending cultural exploration with a love of books.
Example Itinerary for Literary Travel
- Morning: Visit an author’s home museum or library exhibition.
- Afternoon: Guided walking tour of locations featured in novels or frequented by writers.
- Late Afternoon: Café stop to read passages from the book set in that city.
- Evening: Attend a local literary event, like a poetry reading or theatre adaptation.
- Night: Stay in a historic inn or hotel with bookish charm, journaling your reflections.
Who It’s Best For
- Travelers who love literature and want to connect books with real-world settings.
- Couples or families where not everyone is a reader (literary tours often blend well with general sightseeing).
- Fans of literary history, authors, and festivals.
- Readers who want a dynamic, active trip with cultural enrichment.
If you like to read books set in the place you’re visiting or escape to somewhere else from the comfort of your favourite reading nook, literary travel is your match.
read around the world
Travel Book Journal
One page per country, so you can record the books you’ve read, review them in detail, and customise the page.
Final Thoughts
Books have always been a form of travel, transporting us to new places, times, and experiences.
After all, the best trips are the ones that change the way we see both the world—and ourselves.
Have you been on any of these types of reading retreats? Let me know your experience and which style of retreat you like best in the comment section below.
Travel Essentials
Here are the websites and services I personally use and recommend.
FLIGHTS: The best deals can be found on Skyscanner, Google Flights and Kiwi (learn more about Kiwi travel hacking here).
TRAVEL INSURANCE: I recommend World Nomads for travel insurance because you can purchase once you’re already overseas and you can easily extend your policy. For digital nomads, I recommend and personally use Genki (learn more about Genki digital nomad health insurance here).
E-SIM: For travel in Europe, I use an e-sim with GoMobile, which is a provider based in Malta, but you need to be there to set it up.
ACCOMMODATION: I use Booking.com for hotels and Airbnb for apartments. For Colivings, I usually book privately, but Coliving.com is a good place to start.
THINGS TO DO: I use Viator or Get Your Guide for booking day trips, city tours and other activities, though I often check reviews on TripAdvisor too.
6 Responses
I just was talking to someone about how this would be a great idea and then here is your post!! Gonna share with my book club and I would love to try this.
Thank you, that means a lot. And yes, please do! Hopefully see you at a retreat sometime soon!
The nomad book club seems like such a great idea (reading retreats too)!
Thank you! I like to think so too!
I prefer a literary retreat as I love to see the homes where my favorite female authors lived. I still want to do an England trip and visit Jane Austen’s museum and the Bronte sisters’ parsonage home. Great post!
Yes, me too! And I have both Austen and Bronte trips on my bucket list for this year and next – watch this space!