Roundup: Is a Literary City in Your Summer Travel Plans?

ByJessica A. Kent

In our Roundups segment, we’re looking back at all the great posts since the blog started in 2009. We explore posts from our archives as well as other top literary magazines and websites, centered on a certain theme to help you jump-start your week.

Summer has finally arrived, so start making your travel plans. Intending to do some literary-themed vacations or road trips this year? Here’s a list of places where you can get your bookshopping, writing inspiration, and literary geekiness on:

From Ploughshares:

A while back we did a “Literary Boroughs” series of book-ish and book-y places around the US and the globe. Here are some destinations (in the form of a helpful itinerary):

  • Since Ploughshares is based in Boston, we’ll start off with our lovely Beantown’s rich literary history (in two parts here and here!).
  • Head down to Baltimore, the self-named “The City That Reads,” tour its many bookstores, and brush up on your Poe history.
  • Fly out to Denver, where there are some great book events and nonprofit writing centers.
  • Head up to Portland and visit Powell’s, home to over a million used and new books.
  • End your trip in Seattle spending time writing at the many (many!) coffeeshops.
  • Need someplace further afield? Head to Berlin, Prague, Dublin, or Madrid.

From Around the Web:

  • 330699202_303e196268
    National Geographic     has their own list of “Top 10 Literary Cities” (do you agree with Edinburgh, Scotland being #1?).
  • Poets & Writers has a compilation of literary cities as well, including Austin, Chicago, and New York (among others).
  • Have you heard of the little literary town of Hay-on-Wye in Wales? Here’s a list of their over thirty bookstores.
  • UNESCO has chosen certain cities to call “Cities Of Literature.” Here’s the list.
  • Finally, “Is L.A. The World’s Next Great Literary City? The Los Angeles Review of Books Says Yes”…but you can be the judge.

Finally: What is your favorite literary destination? Tell us in the comments!

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