For literary enthusiasts, venturing into picturesque book towns is a dream come true. A book town is, according to Wikipedia, "a town or village with a large number of used book or antiquarian bookstores. These stores, as well as literary festivals, attract bibliophile tourists. A number of the book towns are members of the International Organization of Book Towns."
There are a number of book towns all around the world, with some more beautiful than the rest. Aside from discovering an antique bookshop filled with interesting books, the feeling of traveling to these places is a magical experience itself. Here are some of the most beautiful book towns around the world:
Fjaerland, Norway. It may not be the most accessible town to get into, but Fjaerland's beautiful, quaint feel is enough to make your trip worth it. According to Mental Floss, it's one of the most remote book towns around the world, and its bookshops are situated in abandoned office buildings. Guests can only visit during May-September every year.
Saint-Pierre-de-Clages, Switzerland. This village's annual book festival makes it one of the most sought after book towns in the world and was founded "the Swiss Book Village" in 1990 by the Friends of St-Pierre, reported by E-Book Friendly. The festival is held during the last weekend of August, with about 100 exhibitors every year. The bookshops are mostly located in the main square of the village, with rare finds and other interesting books in the store.
Redu, Belgium. Officially declared a book town in 1984, Redu is more than just a pretty town. Every year, several literary events are held in the village, and the place itself is littered with bookshops selling secondhand books and comics. One of the most loved literary events in Redu is the "Book Night", where bookshops stay open for 24 hours.
Urueña, Spain. This Spanish medieval town is a literary treasure, and it is evident by the growing numbers of visitors every year wishing to take part in experiencing the E-LEA Center in Urueña. Jorge Manrique, the professor of the University of Valladolid, was the instigator in transforming Urueña into a book town, and since then, bibliophiles have been clamoring the place ever since.
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