Books have long inspired the way that we travel. In the 19th century, Lord Byron’s epic poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, was said to have kickstarted a boom in similarly romantic European ‘Grand Tour’ trips. Today, many seek out the homes of their favourite novelists (Daphne du Maurier’s rugged Cornwall, Jane Austen’s Bath) or the backdrops to their most beloved tomes (Dracula’s Whitby, Elena Ferrante’s Naples and Ischia). Yet there is one particular sphere of influence that has come to dominate literary travel trends in 2025, and that’s BookTok.
According to the EF Ultimate Break, a tour operator that specialises in trips for those aged between 18 and 35, BookTok tourism is emerging as a new travel category – so much so that they have recently launched four new itineraries inspired by the trend. “We’re seeing a shift toward young people seeking out more meaningful travel experiences where they can connect face-to-face around their shared interests,” explains Heather Leisman, president of EF Ultimate Break. “Our new BookTok-inspired trips give travellers the chance to turn those online conversations into real-world friendships while exploring the places that bring their favourite stories to life.”
A Steam Train crossing Glenfinnan ViaductJiri Vlach/Getty Images
Itineraries include a nine-day trip to Switzerland’s mountains, lakes and castles in the spirit of Sarah J. Maas’s wildly popular romantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, as well as a Croatian cruise inspired by Emily Henry’s The People We Meet On Vacation, a Harry Potter-esque jaunt to Scotland and Percy Jackson’s tinged escape to Rome, Athens and Cairo: all of which are extremely popular within the BookTok community.
Dubrovnik, Croatiamaxontravel/Getty Images