Novelist Jean Rhys said that reading “finds homes for us everywhere.” Whether their settings are real or imagined, stories have the ability to spark our curiosity and our wanderlust, too. Here are a few beloved books based in iconic locations that are sure to inspire your next travel itinerary.
The Talented Mr Ripley | Amalfi, Italy
Bask in the setting (but hopefully not the grisly drama) of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 psychological thriller The Talented Mr Ripley on the glittering shores of the Amalfi coast. Dickie Greenleaf’s enviable hilltop villa is located in the fictional town of Mongibello, but visitors to the dreamy Italian region can recreate the luxury and la dolce vita in the locales of Positano, Salerno, or Atrani.
Soak up sun-dappled restaurants, pebbled beaches under rows of umbrellas, and colourful terraces with mazes of paths. When Tom Ripley arrives, he notes the “houses above him, struggling against the mountain, and houses below, their tile rooves silhouetted against the blue sea.”
Where the Crawdads Sing | North Carolina, USA
The 2018 bestselling novel by Delia Owens might be fictional, but the thrumming marshlands of North Carolina’s coast are very much real, and every bit as beautiful as they’re described. Croatan National Forest – a sprawling expanse of trees, estuaries, and swamps – is home to the Saltwater Adventure Trail, perfect for exploring the waterways and wild vegetation just like the indomitable Kya. And for a sunrise to remember, head to the marina at Carolina Beach State Park near Wilmington. A blending of two realms, you heart may feel just like Kya’s: “[It] belonged to two places – the sea and the marsh.”
Anne of Green Gables | Prince Edward Island, Canada
Birthplace of the author Lucy Maud Montgomery and home to her precocious fictional orphan, Anne, the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island is full of stunning vistas and serene, pastoralist charm. Stroll down Lover’s Lane at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish or unwind with a picnic in the lush surrounds of Montgomery Park.
Pay a visit to the Anne of Green Gables Museum amidst the undulating grounds of Campbell Homestead, with the option to take a carriage ride and absorb the picturesque surrounds – including the aptly named Lake of Shining Waters. And a stop at Gateway Village in Borden-Carleton for a scoop of ice cream (or three) from Canada’s renowned COWS Creamery is a must; as Anne said, “It’s nice to be eating ice cream at brilliant restaurants.”
All the Light We Cannot See | Saint-Malo, France
Anthony Doerr’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is set during WWII in the last German stronghold on the Breton Coast. Visitors to Saint-Malo can follow in the footsteps of the book’s heroine, Marie-Laure, wending through the cobbled streets and ancient ramparts of this walled maritime city. Dive into the region’s seafaring past in the Museum of Maritime History, and listen out for the tolling of the bells in the Cathedral of Saint-Malo in the Parish of Saint Vincent. “For all of Marie-Laure’s four years in Saint-Malo, the bells at St Vincent’s have marked the hours. But now the bells have ceased.”
The Mercies | Vardø, Norway
Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s tale, inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1621 witch trials, is evocative and captivating. Well off the beaten path of the usual traveller, Norway’s easternmost city – and the only one in the Arctic climate zone – is just as breathtaking as Hargrave’s book. Visitors can take a scenic drive to the semi-abandoned fishing outpost of Hamningberg on the jagged Varanger Peninsula, and strive to spot orcas and seals from the intriguing cliff island of Hornøya, home to over 100,000 birds – including Atlantic puffins, Brünnich’s guillemots, razorbills, and cormorants.
Between September and April, adventurers can cast their eyes to the night sky and spot the ethereal shimmers of the aurora borealis – the northern lights. This is a place of isolation and majesty, where nature is at her raw, uncompromising best: “the cliffs rise sheerly either side, a clean hundred feet, the black rock raked with lines of lighter grey. The sea is green and glitters with chips of ice…”
A Suitable Boy | Lucknow, India
Vikram Seth’s sweeping modern classic is set against the breathtaking backdrop of Northern India in the post-partition era. While the fictional town of Brahmpur is said to be located along the Ganges between Banares and Patna, filming of the TV series of the same title was largely undertaken in the capital of Uttar Pradesh. Take in the opulent architecture of the King George Medical College or La Martinière College to be transported to the scenes of Lata’s university, or stay at the poetic Ahilya Fort and temple complex – now a luxurious hotel – for a taste of heritage and romance. Beside this rich structure meanders the stunning Narmada River – the perfect setting for a sunset walk, or, like Lata and Kabir, a boat ride: “Quietly they moved down the calm and sacred river…”
WORDS: Erin McDonald
This article was originally published under the title Tomes to Transport You in Issue 40 – A Little Abundance. You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more enchanting content here.
