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2 Aussie cities just ranked among the world’s top 5 for book lovers

Credit: Getty/Tmprtmpr

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
Your next literary pilgrimage may be closer than you think.

Some people travel for culture and history. Others for food, family or simply just for fun. But if you’re anything like me, you travel for books. Whether it’s inspired by a favourite novel, a literary festival or a beloved author, books are always part of the itinerary.

Literary tourism
Books are increasingly inspiring where and how we travel today. (Credit: Getty/Imgorthand)

It seems the rest of the world is catching on, too. Literary tourism is well and truly on the rise, with studies by travel eSIM provider Holafly identifying a 2372 per cent spike in searches over the past year. So what better time to track down the best places around the world for book lovers?

Holafly has done the hard work for us, analysing a range of global destinations with strong literary ties – from iconic bookshops and historic libraries to author hometowns and places that’ve inspired famous stories – to reveal the 25 best literary destinations in the world for 2026.

The Aussie cities that made the list

In a big win for Aussie bookworms, not one but two Australian cities ranked among the world’s top five literary tourism destinations for 2026.

In 3rd place: Melbourne

The Paperback Bookshop, Melbourne
Melbourne landed among the top five literary tourism destinations for 2026.

Coming in at number three is our unofficial capital of cool, Melbourne. The Victorian metropolis became Australia’s first UNESCO City of Literature when it was designated in 2008, joining an exclusive list of just 63 worldwide. Tasmania followed some 15 years later, when Hobart was awarded the same prestigious title in 2023.

Reserved for cities with strong publishing industries, literary infrastructure and educational programs, the UNESCO ranking is a sure sign of serious creative cred, acting as a siren song for travelling bookworms.

Hills of Content Bookshop, Melbourne
The Victorian capital is home to more than 270 bookshops, including historic Hills of Content. (Credit: Tom Blachford)

With that kind of literary pedigree, it’s hardly surprising that Melbourne made Holafly’s top five. The city lays claim to some of Australia’s best bookshops, with more than 270 dotted across its suburbs – from national favourite Dymocks to hidden gems like Paperback Bookshop. Don’t miss Hills of Content either; opened in 1922, it’s the oldest of its kind in Melbourne.

State Library of Victoria, Melbourne
Melbourne oozes literary charm, attracting book lovers from across the globe. (Credit: Getty/Tmprtmpr)

But the appeal goes well beyond the bookshelves. Melbourne’s literary calendar is packed year-round, spanning writing workshops, book launches, author talks, poetry readings and bookish festivals.

Time your trip to coincide with annual events like the Melbourne Writers Festival, Emerging Writers’ Festival and Festival of the Photocopier. Or turn it into a classic Victorian road trip with regional fixtures like Bendigo Writers Festival, Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Clunes Booktown Festival, Words in Winter and more.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

In 5th place: Sydney

Gleebooks, Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Sydney’s literary scene stretches from the beach to the Blue Mountains, where you’ll find Gleebooks at Blackheath.

It may not have a fancy title to go with it, but Sydney is just as well-versed when it comes to the written word. Home to upwards of 320 bookshops, its literary grasp spans beach to bush and everywhere in between, from the independent boutiques of Bondi to the beloved Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail.

It’s not just bookstores that beckon bibliophiles to Sydney, though. You’ll find some of the country’s coolest libraries here, including the architecturally designed Marrickville Library and the State Library of NSW, which dates back to the early 1800s.

State Library of NSW, Sydney
Be sure to explore the Research Room inside the State Library of NSW. (Credit: Getty/Imamember)

Sydney’s literary landscape has also been shaped by some of Australia’s most iconic writers – a living history that can still be explored today. Luminaries like Thea Astley, Banjo Paterson, Miles Franklin, Liane Moriarty and Markus Zusak have all found inspiration in Sydney, leaving plenty for modern-day book lovers to uncover.

If you’re short on time, make a beeline for the Sydney Writers’ Walk in Circular Quay. Starting at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, the one-kilometre wander traces the water’s edge all the way to the Opera House, passing 60 plaques dedicated to those who have contributed to Australia’s literary legacy.

Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney
The Sydney Writers Festival is a must for all literature lovers. (Credit: Jacquie Manning)

And let’s not forget the city’s annual line-up of literary festivals, either. Eager readers simply must attend the Sydney Writers Festival at least once, where a jam-packed program spans live talks, book signings and interactive workshops.

Held each year around May, the one-week event welcomes both homegrown and international talent. Previous iterations have seen the likes of Kazuo Ishiguro, Ann Patchett, Tim Winton and Helen Garner all make an appearance.

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The top 25 literary tourism destinations of 2026

  1. New York City (NY), USA
  2. London, England
  3. Melbourne, Australia
  4. Tokyo, Japan
  5. Sydney, Australia
  6. Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
  7. Cartagena, Colombia
  8. Buenos Aires, Argentina
  9. Paris, France
  10. Dublin, Ireland
  11. Prague, Czech Republic
  12. Edinburgh, Scotland
  13. Bath, England
  14. Oxford, England
  15. Lisbon, Portugal
  16. Savannah (GA), USA
  17. Porto, Portugal
  18. Key West (FL), USA
  19. Oxford (MS), USA
  20. Annapolis (MD), USA
  21. Hay-on-Wye, Wales
  22. Concord (MA), USA
  23. Verona, Italy
  24. Tofina (BC), Canada
  25. Matamata, New Zealand

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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3 wild corners of Australia that let you reconnect with nature (in comfort)

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    The country’s rawest places offer some of its most transformative, restorative experiences.

    Australia offers sublime opportunities to disappear into the ancient, untouched wilderness, worlds away from modern stress. Wild Bush Luxury offers a collection of experiences that are a portal into the continent’s wildest, most undiscovered landscapes, from wide floodplains to vast savannas, where the only distractions are birdsong, frog calls, curious wallabies and the daily drama of sunset. With a focus on conservation and Indigenous knowledge, these all-inclusive experiences allow guests to slow down and quiet their minds for intimate encounters with the natural world.

    1. Bamurru Plains

    safari tent at Bamurru Plains wild bush luxury
    Let nature take front row.

    In the remote Top End, just outside Kakadu National Park on the fringes of the spectacular Mary River floodplains, you’ll find Bamurru Plains, a peerless Australian safari camp. After a quick air transfer from Darwin to the camp’s private airstrip, you’ll be whisked away via 4WD to a vivid natural wonderland of shimmering floodplains, red earth, herds of peacefully grazing water buffalo and 236 bird species (Bamurru means magpie goose to the Gagadju people).

    Accommodations consist of 10 mesh-walled bungalows and two luxe stilted retreats where guests enjoy panoramic, up-close views that invite them into their rightful place in the landscape (and binoculars to see it even better). Being an off-grid experience designed to help guests disconnect, the only distractions are birdsongs, frog calls, curious wallabies, the occasional crocodile sighting and the daily drama of the spectacular golden sunset.

    It’s a place where nature’s vastness rises to the level of the spiritual, and Bamurru’s understated, stylish,  largely solar-powered lodgings are designed to minimise human impact and let nature take front row.  Guests relax in comfort with plush linens, an open bar, communal tables that allow for spontaneous connections and curated dining experiences from the in-house chef using local ingredients and bush-inspired cooking methods.

    Bamurru Plains airboat tour
    Zoom across the floodplains. (Image: Adam Gibson)

    It’s a restorative backdrop for days spent zooming across the mist-covered floodplains in an airboat, birding with expert guides, taking an open-sided safari drive or river cruise through croc country. Spend time at the Hide, a treehouse-like platform that’s perfect for wildlife spotting.

    In fact, nature is so powerful here that Bamurru Plains closes entirely during the peak monsoon season (October to April), when the floodplains reclaim the land and life teems unseen beneath the water. Yet Wild Bush Luxury’s ethos continues year-round through its other experiences around Australia – each designed to immerse travellers in a distinct Australian wilderness at its most alive and untouched.

    2. Maria Island Walk

    woman on a headland of Maria Island Walk
    Maria Island Walk offers sweeping coastal scenes.

    Off Tasmania’s rugged east coast, the iconic Maria Island Walk is an intimate four-day journey through one of the country’s most hauntingly beautiful and unpopulated national parks, encompassing pristine beaches, convict-era ruins, and wildlife sightings galore. Accessible only by a small ferry, Maria Island feels like a place reclaimed by nature, which is exactly what it is: a penal settlement later used for farms and industry that finally became a national park in 1972.

    These days, the island is known as ‘Tasmania’s Noah’s Ark’ and its only human inhabitants are park rangers. It’s a place where wombats amble through grassy meadows, wallabies graze beside empty beaches, dolphins splash in clear water just offshore and Tasmanian devils – successfully reintroduced in 2012 after near-extinction on the mainland – roam free and healthy.

    Each day unfolds in an unhurried rhythm: trails through coastal eucalyptus forests or along white-sand bays, plateaus with sweeping ocean views, quiet coves perfect for swimming. Midway through the journey, you’ll explore Darlington, a remarkably preserved 19th-century convict settlement whose ruins tell stories of human ambition at the edge of the known world.

    At night, sleep beneath a canopy of stars in eco-wilderness camps – after relaxing with Tasmanian wine and locally-sourced meals, and swapping stories with your fellow trekkers by candlelight.

    3. Arkaba

    two people standing next to a 4wd in Arkaba
    Explore Arkaba on foot or on four wheels.

    For a bush immersion with more of an outback flavour, Arkaba offers a completely different type of experience. A former sheep station and historic homestead in South Australia’s striking Flinders Ranges that has been reimagined as a 63,000-acre private wildlife conservancy. It’s now patrolled mainly by kangaroos and emus.

    Small-scale tourism (the homestead has just five ensuite guestrooms) helps support rewilding projects, and guests become an essential part of the conservation journey. Days begin with sunrise hikes through ancient sandstone ridges or guided drives into the ranges to spot yellow-footed rock-wallabies. And end with sundowners on a private ridgetop watching the Elder Range glow vibrant shades of gold, crimson and violet as the air cools and time stands still.

    Here, you can join conservation activities like tracking native species or learning about Arkaba’s pioneering feral-animal eradication projects, then unwind with chef-prepared dinners served alfresco on the veranda of the homestead, which is both rustic and refined. The highlight? Following Arkaba Walk, a thriving outback wilderness where emus wander and fields of wildflowers grow.

    It’s an unforgettable immersion in Australia’s vast inland beauty, a place where the land’s deep and complicated history – and astounding resilience – leave their quiet imprint long after you return home. In a world where genuine awe is rare, Wild Bush Luxury offers a return to what matters most in the untamed beauty of Australia’s wilderness.

    Disconnect from the grind and reconnect with nature when you book with at wildbushluxury.com