Eight Honeymoon Destinations for Book Lovers

The most romantic love affairs of all time live in the pages of fictional classics. What better way to celebrate your real-life romance with a honeymoon steeped in literature? If you and your husband-to-be are self-proclaimed bookworms, one of these honeymoon destinations may be perfect for the two of you.

Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Visit Shakespeare’s childhood home and the adjacent flower gardens with your paramour. Spend a date night at the Royal Shakespeare Company and take in a play together.

Concord, Mass.

A honeymoon is all about spending time alone with the one you love and enjoying peace and quiet after what was more than likely a chaotic wedding day. Make like Henry David Thoreau and visit Walden Pond to mimic the tranquility he experienced there. Enhance your experience with a stay at the Hawthorne Inn, a bed and breakfast with rooms that nod to local literary greats.

Verona, Italy

Let’s go back to Shakespeare again. The dramatic, amorous city of Verona made for an idyllic setting for his Romeo and Juliet. Eat authentic cuisine, take pictures in front of historic fountains, and of course, visit the Casa di Giulietta to see the fictitious 14^th century balcony of the play’s most romantic scene.

Atlanta, Georgia

Is there a more fiery romance than the one between Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara? Visit the Margaret Mitchell House with your flame and get inspired by those blazing love scenes.

Forks, Wash. and Portland, Ore.

If you’re a fan of the Twilight series of books, go on a Twilight Tour and proclaim your eternal love to one another. Then hit the road for a five-hour road trip to Portland to visit the famous Powell’s Books.

Key West, Fla.

When you picture your honeymoon, if a relaxed, tropical locale comes to mind, Key West might be just the place. When you’re not lounging on the beach or sleeping in a hammock, visit The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum and step back in time to Hemingway’s world.

New York City, N.Y.

Start spreading the news. NYC is the perfect city for lovers and book lovers alike. During your Big Apple honeymoon, take a stroll by Truman Capote’s Brooklyn apartment at 70 Willow Street and be sure to have a drink at The Algonquin Hotel, a place known for its literary history. It is considered the birthplace of The New Yorker magazine and it was a favorite hangout of William Faulkner and Maya Angelou.

Paris, France

A list of honeymoon destinations isn’t complete without Paris. The city simply breathes passion and inspiration for couples and writers alike. Share a crème brûlée together at Les Deux Magots, a café that Hemingway, Simone de Beauvoir and other literary giants frequented. Visit authors and poets who are no longer at Père Lachaise Cemetery and see the final resting places of Honoré de Balzac and Gertrude Stein. And, of course, no Parisian honeymoon for book lovers would be complete without a trip to Shakespeare and Company bookstore. When it comes to literature and romance, it always seems to circle back to Shakespeare, doesn’t it?