J.D Salinger once wrote – “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're done reading it, you wish the author who wrote it was a terrific friend of yours.” Sigh, how true!! Now, how many times have we thought that to yourselves and fanaticize about befriending our favourite author or living in our favourite book! Sadly though, that’s not always possible. Having said that, while living in their times may be a little too far-fetched, you still can visit the places where all the literary magic was created! Read on as we list a few…

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Playwrights and poets from Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is a literary Mecca for more reasons than one! Playwrights like George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, the poet Yeats are all testament to the fact that the city has produced more Nobel Prize laureates for Literature than any other city in the world. Any literary tourists dream come true, Dublin is packed to the brim with literary history – the Dublin Writers Museum, the National Print Museum of Ireland and the famous Abbey Theatre are all hot spots to visit.

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Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon is home to the world’s most renowned literary giant! This rural Warwickshire countryside on the banks of river Avon is Shakespeare’s birthplace. And apart from Shakespeare’s home and the rustic countryside ambiance, the newly refurbished Royal Shakespeare Theatre is another reason why everyone with literary and theatrical inclinations should visit the place.

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Paris, France

Paris’s literary history draws power from both homegrown literary geniuses and expat writers that came to Paris to be inspired! Amongst the many literary giants who have drawn inspiration from Parisian beauty Honoré de Balzac was the first novelist to place Paris at the heart of his work. The way Balzac mentions Paris in his work, Balzac’s Paris becomes not just a literary phenomenon but is a prospective in which Paris can be seen. Clearly something every literary tourist is game for! The legendary bookshop Shakespeare & Company is also a must visit for all bookworms.

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Jane Austen Centre, Bath

If you are one of us girls who grew up in complete awe of Jane Austen’s world of Victorian romances, this is the vacation you absolutely must take. The beautiful city of Bath was home to Austen in the early 19th century and now honours the genius of Jane Austen with a permanent exhibition and an annual Jane Austen Festival which is a celebration of all things Austen. The JAF 2015 is scheduled for 11th September. Get packing, ladies!

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Brontë Parsonage Museum and Library, West Yorkshire, England

We owe some of the world’s best literature to the Brontë sister’s trio! And the Brontë Parsonage Museum and library dedicated to the Brontë sisters – Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte is easily a Brontë fan’s dream vacation. Also we are told, the museum and library has collections of rare possessions and manuscripts that can only be seen there.

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London, England

London has played host to way too many literary prodigies to not top this list. From real life authors we so love to fictional characters we can’t forget, London has it all. From Shakespeare to Sherlock, from Dickens to Dr. Watson, London has hosted many literary gems. For any literature lunatic, London is a dream vacation. Plus there is the British Library in London, the Iconic Globe Theatre and the museum dedicated to Charles Dickens! Alright that’s it, if we had to pen another line about literature in London, we’d pack our bags and leave!