Top Ten Places Books Made Me Want to Visit

YAY I love this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Friends, I love being able to visualize the settings of the books I’m reading. One of the bonus side effects of this is that I often find myself DYINGGG to visit the places these books describe, whether real or imaginary. I’ve got a mix of both here. Now, let’s all plan a vacation, mmkay?

Westeros/Essos

Books: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin

Umm, obvs I want to go to Westeros. But, like, it’s not really great there right now, guys. Everyone is fighting, no one is loyal to the right people at the right time, basically everyone dies, people are cray…the list goes on. If I could book a ticket there tomorrow, would I still? YOU BET.

New Beijing

Books: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

I have to tell you, visiting Asia is not necessarily near the top of my list of places to go. No specific reason. But Marissa Meyer has created a completely shiny, realistically futuristic New Beijing, and I’d love to see it. Also maybe if I could run into Kai somewhere, that would be super.

Les Cirque des Reves

Book: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Is it creepy that I want to go to Les Cirque des Reves? Not sure that I care. This place is so magical and indulgent and mysterious. I crave the opportunity to set foot in it myself and visit the tents and the Ice Garden and EVERYTHING. GAH NEED TO REREAD ASAP.

Thisby

Book: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

DUH. Also, this picture is EXACTLY EXACTLY how I picture Puck’s house, as well as the beach where the races take place. Thisby remains one of the most vividly realized imaginary places I’ve ever read, maybe because it seems like it could be so real and exist in our world. I would MOVE to Thisby if it were real. I would, I would.

Iceland

Book: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Ah, now we get to the ACTUAL PLACES portion of the list. Iceland isn’t somewhere that’s always been on my vacation radar, but it’s most certainly a place I want to visit now that I’ve read BURIAL RITES. It’s so stark and lovely and fiercely beautiful there. At least, all the pictures look that way.

Paris

Books: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins | Just One Day by Gayle Forman

So I’ve been fortunate in my life to have visited Paris three times. It’s the only place on this list that I’ve actually already been, but guys? It’s magic there. Like, the air is full of magic fairy dust (SHHHH, that’s not smog). Every time I read a book set there it makes me want to go back.

Prague

Book: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Literally every picture I’ve ever seen of Prague is gorgeous. I’m dying to go there. DYING.

The Cotswolds

Book: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Ahh, look at this nice, sunny picture! The Cotswolds as they are described in Sarah Rees Brennan’s book aren’t as friendly-looking, but it still looks like an incredibly cozy, beautiful place to visit. I’d go there, but stay far away from the woods. You know?

Maine

Books: The Penderwicks at Pointe Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall | Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Amy McNamara

Maine will turn up on every single list like this, friends. It’s only a few hours from me, but I’ve never been. I’m so drawn to the rocky beaches and the chill in the air and the quiet woods. It’s an Amy kind of place, friends.

Edinburgh

Book: The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Yes, THE FALCONER takes place in historical Edinburgh. But Scotland is basically my holy grail of places to visit, and this book made Edinburgh even more appealing to me.

Scottish Highlands

Books: Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

THE HIGHLANDS OMG. GET ME HERE. MY BODY IS READY. PLEASE. DON’T MAKE ME BEG ALTHOUGH I TOTALLY WILL. Ahem. So, you get it, I’m assuming.