It should come as no surprise that England has some of the world's most interesting attractions for literature lovers, from birthplace museums of some of the world's most celebrated authors to everyday sports made famous through fictional accounts.
Bath
In England's West County, not far from the border with Wales, the gorgeous Georgian town of Bath is an undisputed must-visit for fans. Some of the country's most celebrated authors have lived (and written) here, including Mary Shelley, of Frankenstein fame, along with her poet husband, Percy Bysshe Shelly. However, the town's best-known former resident is Jane Austen, who spent five miserable yeas in the spa town. The Jane Austen Centre and its Regency Tea Room are among Bath's most-visited attractions, and there is a 10-day festival held every September that honors the writer and her work.
London
London has long been a favorite setting for English storytellers, and the capital city has appeared in countless stories and novels over the years, from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to Helen Fielding's bestselling Bridget Jones books. Sherlock Homes had a flat on Baker Street in his crime-solving days, and you might know Soho as the home turf of the legendary Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Charles Dickens is perhaps the best-known (or at least most celebrated) author of the lot, and there are dozens of Dickensian London tours available to literature lovers. Scrooge keeps all office in Cornhill part of the City of London financial district, while Fleet Street makes an appearance in the Pickwick Papers and A Tale of Two Cities. Finally, Oliver Twist fans might remember that the Artful Dodger tricks young Oliver to reach Fagin's den, located in Saffron Hill in Camden.
Stratford-upon-Avon
The birthplace of William Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon, has built an entire tourism industry around the Bard. Although many of Shakespeare's plays were set in faraway destinations such as Greece, Italy, Denmark and a make-believe island in the middle of the ocean, there are still plenty of attractions that fans won't want to miss. Here You can visit Shakespeare's birthplace along with the homes of his mother, daughter and granddaughter. Most visitors also make a point of catching a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
And for the full Stratford experience, travelers can stay the night at one of the Towns many historic hotels; Billesley Manor Hotel is a popular choice, and rumor has it that Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in a tiny chapel on the grounds way back in 1582.
