Literary cities are the best destinations for bibliophiles

Every March, writers, poets, novelists, and illustrators from all over the world attend the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai.

This year marks the 10th edition of the festival, bringing together more than 180 best-selling authors and hosting more than 200 events and writing workshops for adults and children. What could be more exciting for booklovers than hearing their favourite writers share fascinating tidbits about themselves, or being taught a masterclass by a legendary author, or witnessing bubbly illustrators enthral children with their artistic prowess? It is pure magic, I promise you.

So what makes a city a literary destination, so much so that literary luminaries and bibliophiles flock to it in order to bask in some of that fictional magic? Think about your favourite writers and where they lived or visited to seek inspiration, or books with scenic settings that planted a dream within you to visit them one day.

This irresistible charm is perhaps due to a blend of reasons; such as poetic landscapes, picturesque city trails, abundance of libraries and bookshops, vibrant literary scenes, and so much more. According to the Unesco, a ‘City of Literature’ is defined as a place that celebrates literature at the very heart of its core by being a home to libraries, bookstores and literary centres and museums, offering educational literary programmes, hosting literary events and festivals, and having a robust publishing industry. So far, the Unesco Cities of Literature network consists of 28 cities, representing 6 continents and 23 countries.

Edinburgh was the first city in the world to be designated as a Unesco City of Literature and indeed, it has an incredible literary scene. The city is replete with beautiful architecture, gardens, literary cafes, a Writers’ Museum, and charming streets reminiscent of the very same trails of famous literary heroes.

The city has been enamoured with literature for centuries and has played a major role in promoting it. For example, the University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and was the first to appoint a professorship of English Literature.

To this day, many creative writing and literature courses are offered in the city. The list does not end there. Booklovers are pampered with a selection of over 50 unique bookshops.

And it only gets better with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which runs every August over two and a half weeks, inviting over 800 writers from all over the world. The city is also home to some of the world’s most cherished writers, such as Arthur Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock Holmes) and Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island). Interestingly, J.K. Rowling wrote all her Harry Potter books in Edinburgh. Is it any surprise that this charming city has inspired more than 500 novels?

Favourite hangouts

Another city with an impressive literary identity is Paris. For centuries, writers have flocked to Paris to soak in its never-ending well of inspiration. Remnants of the city’s literary past are imprinted across the capital, inspiring bibliophiles to wander across its beautiful boulevards, gardens, and cafes to pay homage to their literary idols.

Famous French authors, such as Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Marcel Proust have been enchanted by the ineffable charms of Paris.

The capital was also home to international writers, such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Oscar Wilde. People can still visit museums and cafes where these luminaries have lived or frequented. The Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots, situated in the chic quarter of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, have been favourite hangouts for these writers and in honour of their famous guests, these two establishments award a yearly literary prize.

The UAE can continue to promote the joys of literature through a number of initiatives that would enrich its literary scene. For example, literary festivals can be celebrated in all the cities with different themes and audiences through different times of the year. Short courses on creative writing and literature can be offered through universities and cultural centres, thus resulting in an increase of home-grown writers.

Schools and universities can strengthen their libraries so that they are the creative, intellectual hubs of their campuses. Publishing houses should endeavour to publish more literary works inspired by the UAE culture, thus inspiring readers to unravel more beautiful aspects of this country. And public libraries, bookshops, and cafes can play host to countless book clubs, author visits, and literary events.

Literary cities cast a spell on people in more ways than one can imagine. Through the power of words, people form ideas, expand their imaginations and horizons, and learn to savour all that is personally beautiful to them. In turn, cities that have inspired writers and fictional characters transform into a haven for people the world over to retreat to whenever they are in need of that spark. This mysterious attachment is one of the beautiful reasons why many of us love exploring literary cities.

Sara Al Mulla is an Emirati civil servant focusing on human development policy and children’s literature.