British Book Tours! The UK’s Best Literary Pilgrimages

For many of us, the England in our minds is the England we were introduced to through fiction, whether it was picking blackberries with the children in an Enid Blyton story, tramping through the moody moors of Yorkshire with Cathy and Heathcliff, or dancing in Regency-era ballrooms with a Jane Austen heroine.

And with the UK's recent announcement that travellers from more countries can visit without needing to quarantine, it's a great time to "book" a trip here!

We've put together an assortment of some of our favourite book-themed tours in England, so you can discover the England of your literary dreams with an expert who loves these authors and their books as much as you do.

Eight Great British Book Tours

1. Visit Jane Austen’s BathJane Austen's family had close connections with Bath, and Jane lived in Bath for several years, basing her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion here. Stroll the streets of the beautifully preserved Georgian city with your guide Sue, who will bring it to life and entertain you with extracts from Jane Austen’s novels and diaries.

2. Follow in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes in LondonExplore Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's London and the people and places that inspired him to create the legend of Sherlock, where fact and fiction merge! Visit historical sites of London, which are also home to many of Sherlock’s most famous crime scenes. With your guide Peter at your side, you’ll be amazed how much British factual history is weaved into Doyle's believable fiction.

3. Don’t Miss The Hound of the Baskervilles in DevonSpeaking of Sherlock, you also have the chance to learn about the inspirational characters and locations behind Conan Doyle's greatest story: The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The tour is delivered by a descendant of one of the people involved in the creation of the plot, making it a completely unique experience in the bleak and beautiful moors of Dartmoor. Hear about the evil Squire Cabell and his pack of hounds, the coach driver whose name is now etched into fictional folklore, and see the 200 year old prison from which Seldon escaped.

4. Visit the Bard’s Birthplace in Stratford Upon Avon No lover of British literature can skip a visit to the Bard’s birthplace in lovely Stratford Upon Avon. See where Shakespeare was born, where he went to school and where he was eventually laid to rest. Your guide will make sure you visit his wife Anne Hathaway’s beautiful cottage, and you’ll even have the chance to see a Shakespearean production near the site of the famous Swan Theatre.

5. Tour Charles Dickens country among the towns of KentVisit the Kentish towns and countryside that inspired many of the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens' greatest works. See for yourself the inspiration for scenes from Great Expectations, Pickwick Papers and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, along with many others. Whether you choose to follow in the historical footsteps of the author himself, or search for the landscapes where his greatest novels were set, your guide Dawn will be your local Dickens expert.

6. Discover Robin Hood - and more! - in NottinghamNottingham is stuffed full of writers, poets and novelists as well as being home to several fictional characters! As an avid reader, especially of locally-based authors, from children's stories to romantic fiction and the classics, your guide Felicity would love to introduce you to her literary city. There is Peter Pan as well as the scandalous life of bad-boy poet Lord Byron, the contentious but more modern work by DH Lawrence, and the gritty realism of Alan Sillitoe. Plus, of course, the fictional character for which the city is probably most famous - Robin Hood.

7. Get to know Agatha Christie in DevonHave a fabulous day out in Devon, following in Agatha Christie's footsteps. You’ll see many locations from Agatha's childhood and early adulthood, such as the beaches of Torquay, the pier, the Pavilion and more. Visit Greenway, her beautiful holiday home, and end the day with a traditional Devonshire cream tea! Throughout your day in Devon, you will see locations that Agatha used in her mysteries, and hear more about the fictional characters that frequented these places. A private talk at the Potent Plant garden at Torre Abbey by the head gardener, herself a huge Agatha fan, will give you more background about the plants that Agatha had learnt about during WWI, and which helped shape her stories.

8. See Harry Potter’s LondonWe couldn’t leave out the Boy Who Lived from this list, now could we? If you’re traveling with book-loving children (or if you’re a fan yourself!) a Harry Potter tour is a definite must-do while in London. Your guide will show you where you can see Diagon Alley and Platform 9 ¾ come to life, along with the secret entrance to the Ministry of Magic and other gems from the wizarding world.