Book Destinations: Let reading take flight from London Luton Airport
Did you know there are over 50 ‘UNESCO Cities of Literature’ worldwide? These cities are dedicated to preserving traditional literary heritage and keeping the magic of reading alive with festivals, ours and active publishing houses. Discover destinations made for book-lovers from London Luton Airport and start exploring...
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is a hive of literary activity. The capital of the Catalonian region in northeastern Spain, it’s the world’s largest publishing centre for books in the Spanish language – check out over 30,000 new titles a year in more than 300 bookshops across the city.Visit in February for BCNegra, a festival dedicated to detective novels, or try your hand at poetry at Barcelona Poesia. Why not pick up a Catalan-language book as a Barcelona souvenir?
Bookmark this destination if you like exciting mysteries around every corner…
Fly from LTN to BCN in 2 hours 10 minutes.
Prague, Czech Republic
With its charming streets and Gothic architecture, Prague is ideal for avid readers. Spend a day exploring all the Franz Kafka hotspots: see a statue, a rotating sculpture, and a museum all dedicated to the writer of ‘The Metamorphosis’. If you’re heading to Prague, check out ‘Touches of World Literature’, a cycle of author readings and plays. And for younger readers, Děti čtěte (Children Read) is one of Europe’s largest children’s literary festivals, encouraging us to brush up on our ABCs.
Bookmark this destination if you like to imagine wandering around a fairytale…
Fly from LTN to PRG in 2 hours.
Iasi, Romania
Home to the only Romanian museum dedicated to poetry, write your next travel verse on the way to Iasi. Hop around the city or while away the hours on the ‘Tramway of Literature’ - a bespoke tram including a small library. Visit Iasi in late February for Classix Festival, an eight-day event with dozens of stories, music, painting and photography sessions. But if you want to relax with a book, we’d recommend sitting in the sunshine at Copou Park.
Bookmark this destination if you like being the first person to read a new book…
Fly from LTN to IAS in 3 hours 15 minutes.
Milan, Italy
Art and literature go hand in hand in Milan. See Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie, and then find a new thriller at Bookstore Tomorrow, one of the city’s oldest bookstores. Don’t know what to read? Pop-up programmes across Milan’s bookstores and independent libraries are designed to help adults choose the best book for them. Every November, BookCity Milano turns the city into a large open-air library. Whether it’s talks, shows, or simply reading a book in the sun, it’s easy to write your own chapter about an Italian holiday.
Bookmark this destination if you like a romantic love story.
Fly from LTN to MXP in 2 hours.
Krakow, Poland
Once the country’s capital – before it changed to Warsaw – Krakow is a bookworm’s paradise. Visit Bookshop Empik in the Old Town. First opening its doors in 1610, it’s claimed to be Europe’s first bookshop. We wonder what stories the walls could tell
As you’re walking around the Polish city, it’s easy to make up your own tales. Be a king of the castle at Wawel Castle, go exploring at Wieliczka Salt Mine, or go back in time at St. Florian’s Gate. Come rain or shine, Krakow is always a great city to explore. We’d recommend going in June to the Miłosz Festival, or visiting in October for the International Book Fair.
Bookmark this destination if you like a historical drama…
Fly from LTN to KRK in 2 hours 20 minutes.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Did you know the Icelandic alphabet has 32 letters? That makes for lots of words to write down in books. Discover translated Viking sagas and stories at the National Museum of Iceland. And if you need journal inspiration, use Reykjavik as a base to explore geysers and volcanoes in southern Iceland. If you want a new book, head in winter for “jólabókaflóð”, translated to the Book Flood before Christmas. Hundreds of new books in shops, lots of reading events, and they’ll make popular gifts.
Bookmark this destination if you like reading choose-your-own-adventure stories.
Fly from LTN to KEF in 3 hours 5 minutes.
Edinburgh, Scotland
When you’re flying into Edinburgh, see if you can spot Edinburgh Waverley train station from the sky. It’s the only train station in Scotland named after a book – ‘Waverley’ by Sir Walter Scott. Stop at book locations across the city: the Greyfriars Bobby statue, the Arthur Donan Coyle centre dedicated to Sherlock Holmes, and the Elephant House café where J.K. Rowling wrote ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. August is a thriving time for Edinburgh holidays. Head to International Book Festival events across the city and catch some of the over 600 events throughout the month.
Bookmark this destination if you prefer to read the classic stories.
Fly from LTN to EDI in 1 hour 15 minutes.
Dublin, Ireland
Cross Dublin’s River Liffey on three bridges: the James Joyce, the Seán O’Casey, and the Samuel Beckett. They’re all named after renowned Irish authors! But if there’s one book you need to see in Ireland, it’s the Book of Kells at Trinity College. Only two pages are open at a time, but it’s worth seeing a book that’s over 1,000 years old. Why not explore Dublin at Halloween for the Bram Stoker festival? It’s a celebration of Gothic books and all things Bram Stoker – the ‘Dracula’ author was born in Ireland.
Bookmark this destination if you enjoy reading a contemporary story.
Fly from LTN to DUB in 1 hour 20 minutes.
Lyon, France
The “gastronomical capital” of France is more than a foodie’s paradise. It’s made for booklovers too. Every June, Lyon becomes a comic strip at the Lyon BD Festival – a three-day festival dedicated to traditional bande dessinée comics. Are you team Asterix or team Tintin? It's not all caricatures and cartoons. Don your trench coat and magnifying glass for Quais du Polar festival, the must-visit festival dedicated to French thrillers.
Bookmark this destination if you’d enjoy a light-hearted comedy read.
Fly from LTN to LYS in 1 hour 40 minutes.
Make sure you pick up your next read before you fly at The Bookshop by WHSmith.
Did you know London Luton Airport's charity partners for 2025 – 2027 are the National Literacy Trust and Tokko Youth Hub? Be inspired by our book-based destinations and start a new holiday chapter today…
2026 is also the National Year of Reading — a UK-wide campaign designed to inspire more people to make reading a regular part of their lives. So, why not 'Go All In' on your next book holiday adventure and start a story as you travel. Whether it’s listening to an audiobook by the pool on a beach holiday or turning a few pages as you take public transport in the city, let reading unlock your social activity as you travel.