Booking in: Reading retreats are having a moment
9+ great reading retreats across the world to nourish your inner bibliophile
In this strange new age of seemingly-endless scrolling and streaming, reading has reclaimed its status—not just as a pastime, but as a lifestyle statement. Book culture is officially a thing: we have “celebrity pap-walk reading lists”, Instagram accounts exclusively dedicated to hot men who read (even city-specific ones) and BookTok is still going so strong that “Book Girl Summer” should be rebranded “Book Girl Life”.
This resurgence of reading—and its rebranding as not just a pastime but a lifestyle (in some cases, an entire identity…)—has sparked a new kind of travel: the reading retreat. Longing for moments of deep focus in an always-on world, many of today’s readers are struggling to find the time to actually read - and the answer might just be these curated escapes where a good tome, quiet, and time and space to sit down with said book and actually delve in, are the main attractions.
Cozy literary experiences no longer need be reserved for solo nights at home (or a poolside lounger at a beach retreat). Now, we can head to the English countryside, a centuries-old French castle, a Greek island, the bustling streets of Istanbul, or the atmospheric riads of Morocco, for the ultimate modern luxury: time away from our screens to read, reflect, and reconnect with the activity that made so many of us bookworms in the first place. Read on (no pun intended) for a few to try!
Starcroft Farms Cabins
This beautiful retreat—consisting of three utterly charming stargazing cabins in the midst of the High Weald AONB—typically runs writing retreats, but during the winter season, they host a Christmas reading getaway too. The weekend-long retreat will be decked out with vintage holiday-themed decorations for that festive feel, including a Robert’s radio for you to play carols off of. You’ll check in on a Friday and check out on a Sunday, with two nights spent in one of their adorable, unique cabins each inspired by a different aspect of women’s history. You can either bring your own book(s), or choose one from the carefully-curated bookshelf available in each cabin—or you can opt to have a book chosen for you, specifically tailored to your interests and hand-picked from local independent bookstore Rother Books. You’ll also receive a festive bar of chocolate and some Victorian hot cocoa to enjoy while you read, as well as a bespoke “prescription” from The Poetry Pharmacy—in the form of a poem intended to help soothe your soul, and help cure you from some of life’s ailments. The retreat costs GBP430 per person, and this year’s takes place from December 5-7.
A cabin at Starcroft Farm Retreats. (Image from: www.starcroftfarm.co.uk) Reading Retreat UK
This company was founded in 2017 by a duo made up of a literary consultant and a professional photographer. They describe reading retreats as a “literary pampering delight”, and host weekend retreats from Fridays to Mondays, as well as weekday retreats from Tuesdays to Fridays. During their reading retreats, you’ll be able to enjoy cozy warm beverages and tasty baked goods, three-course home-cooked meals, and hearty breakfasts, spending the rest of your time reading from various spaces in your chosen venue, whether that’s a comfortable private room, a library, a garden, in front of a fireplace, or anywhere else you can curl up with a good book. An author will be present for at least part of the retreat, and guests will be able to hear about their work, as well as their writing and reading habits. You can bring your own reading material, or opt for a “Reading Presciption” where a book is chosen for you—or if you’re not sure what to read after you return home, you can also book in a session with their reading consultant during your stay, so you can take something home in a goody bag.These retreats take place in several different locations across the UK, with past and upcoming venues including a Georgian townhouse in Derbyshire, a Vicarage in Lincolnshire, an Elizabethan manor in Kent, a beachfront house in Suffolk, and a riverside cottage in Somerset—but you’ll have to book as far in advance as possible if you want to get in, because spaces are limited and they sell out fast. Sometimes, they hold themed retreats too—in the past, they’ve had an Agatha Christie-themed one. The standard retreat package includes accommodation for three nights, all meals, snacks, and refreshments included (including wine with dinner), a tailored reading prescription (if you wish), a goody bag, and the company of a published author for dinner one night. Prices range from GBP675-900 per person.
Friendship Travel
This company providing “escorted holidays for single travellers” (not in the dirty sense—get your mind out of the gutter!) helps people enjoy a wide variety of experiences “solo but not alone”, from beach holidays to painting classes, walking holidays and more. Essentially, if you’re craving plenty of “you time” with a little bit of company from others here and there, but don’t want or have anyone specific to travel with, they offer the balance in between. You can make friends if you want to, or you can spend time alone if you want to—the choice is yours. Reading holidays are part of their offering, where you can spend your days delving into a book, before coming together with the others in your “group that’s not a group” to discuss books and enjoy a bit of human connection over dinner. During some of the trips, city tours can be incorporated for those who want to opt in. Their website lists stays everywhere from Cairo, Egypt and Olhão, Portugal to Istanbul, Turkey, and Marrakech, Morocco, and they can run from four to nine nights.Ladies Who Lit
For those who believe a great book club is the ideal weekend getaway, Ladies Who Lit delivers a dream escape. These curated reading retreats are crafted especially for women who crave community, relaxation, and lively literary conversation—all without having to organize a thing themselves. Hosted in picturesque country manor houses across the UK - and across the world, in locations like Morocco - each retreat weaves together immersive reading sessions, guided group discussions, and plenty of unstructured downtime for solo page-turning beside cozy fires or in sun-dappled gardens.The itinerary is refreshingly flexible: you might start your morning with an inspiring breakfast in the company of new friends, follow it up with a reading circle or themed workshop, then indulge in decadent afternoon teas. Evenings are reserved for bookish banter over shared meals and wine, with optional activities like author Q&As, journaling, or poetry readings sprinkled throughout the weekend. Every detail—from book selections to goodie bags and locally sourced treats—is thoughtfully arranged by the team, so all you need to do is bring your love of books (and maybe slippers). Retreats typically run Friday to Sunday, with prices starting from around £495 per person including accommodation, meals, and all activities. Whether you arrive solo or with a friend, you’ll leave with a handful of great reads and a circle of fellow lit lovers.
Photo by Nguyen Thu Hoai on Unsplash Book Lovers’ Binge Reading Retreat
Run by a life coach and non-fiction author, this five-day retreat gives you the chance to escape to a 200-year-old restored farmhouse in the sunny southwest of France. Run from the first and third Saturday of every month, from March to December, there are only three spots per session to ensure that the getaway remains cozy and intimate. Located at the Cotes de Gascogne vineyards, the retreat comes with home-cooked meals; plenty of free time to read, sleep, or relax; and chances to take daily walks along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.The Lady of the Château Reading Retreat
If you’ve ever dreamed of attending a literary salon that runs late into the night —followed by the chance to sleep at an actual castle—here’s your chance. At this six-night reading retreat, you can spend your days curled up in velvet chairs or sun-dappled gardens, enjoy fireside book chats, candlelit dinners, and spontaneous creativity in the château’s art studio. It’s held in the Château de Puy Vidal - a 13th-century Renaissance château in Southwest France (just a 2-hour train ride from Paris) - and comes with plenty of solo reading time, optional yoga sessions, candlelit reading or book discussion circles, massages (for an add-on fee), the occasional film screening or even karaoke session, and chances to explore the local town. Taking place from October 8th to 14th this year, costs run from EUR250- EUR4,250.
Imagine Greece Reading Retreats
If a Greek island is more your speed, you can head to Amorgos—located in the easternmost part of the Cyclades, close to the Dodecanese islands—to spend a week enjoying group book discussions, waterfront reading spots, and plenty of time to relax and soak in the serene Aegean backdrop. You can even get up close and personal with best-selling authors—past retreats have welcomed notable guests like J.D. Barker and Clare Mackintosh.
Photo by Masjid Pogung Dalangan on Unsplash This UK-founded company hosts reading retreats in destinations around the world, specifically chosen to to match the setting of the featured book. Talk about immersive or experiential travel! Past retreats have included a retreat to Portugal centered around Sandie Jones’s The Guilt Trip, a trip to Florence centered around Sarah Winman’s Still Life, a retreat in Cornwall centered around Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn, one to Carcassonne centered around Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, a trip to St Malo centered around All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and a trip to Krakow centered around The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. Upcoming trips include a journey to Pompeii centered around Robert Harris’s book of the same name, a trip to Windsor centered around The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood, a trip to Egypt centered around Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, and one to the Bath Christmas Market this December centered around Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Trips are already scheduled for next year, including one to Birmingham centered around To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and one to Jamaica centered around Dr. No in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. For a full list (and updates on how many spaces are left for each trip), keep checking their website here - but if you have your heart set on one, hurry, since they book up fast!
Ease Retreats
This company specializes in unique retreats that can foster your creative well-being, from a focus on finding your voice to taking a digital detox, and the chance to enjoy a reading retreat with a bibliotherapist. Taking place in a Provençal château from October 2nd to 5th 2025, attendees can enjoy group discussions, read-alouds, and generous amounts of quiet, personal reading time—plus the chance to swim at the stunning in-house pool, tuck into some delicious food, and sip on local rosé. This specific retreat is led by bibliotherapist Lucy Pearson, who will select a book for you and send it to you ahead of time (so you can read it beforehand and discuss it while there). You’ll also receive a literary goody bag to take home, and a one-on-one bibliotherapy session while there.
