Top 10 Charming Places from Your Favorite Books

Book lovers will agree that there are certain novels, poems, and memoirs that have the power to reshape our thinking and transform our lives. Do you have a classic that you’ve read and re-read a hundred times? 

If it just so happens to be one of the novels below, you can actually step into the pages that had such an impact on your life. Perhaps you’ll wander the prairie that Laura Ingalls-Wilder transported us to in her famous series. Or, maybe you’ll touch the stones of Lallybroch, the ancestral home of Jamie Fraser. 

Together, let’s turn the pages of our favorite books and dive into some of the most sensational stories ever told.  

King’s Cross Station, London

Ready to board the Hogwarts Express and get up to a little magic? Well, unfortunately, that will have to live on in our minds. 

We can, however, visit King’s Cross Station and at least touch the sign at the 9¾ platform. There’s also a cute little vanishing luggage cart where you can take a photo and use it as your new Harry Potter bookmark. 

If you truly do admire all things Potter, this guide to Edinburgh will talk you through the magical streets that inspired J.K. Rowling. 

The Spaniards Inn, London

Instead of Harry Potter, if Dracula is more up your alley, then you simply must make your way from King’s Cross Station to The Spaniards Inn, near Hampstead Village and Parliament Hill. Bram Stoker made it famous for his references to the pub throughout his work. 

But so did Charles Dickens in The Pickwick Papers. Aside from the natural beauty it beholds all on its own as a glorious 16th-century building, it’s also possible that you’ll have a celebrity sighting or two when you visit this part of town. 

Derbyshire, England

Do you think J.K. Rowling was a Jane Austen fan? Probably. Wouldn’t it be lovely to pay Mr. Darcy a visit? Well, you can! If you head to Derbyshire, you can go inside Chatsworth House and enjoy the grounds. 

Over 25 rooms are open to the public, so you can step right into the pages of the novel. It’s also a museum with plenty of sculptures and other works of art on display. Stand on the steps that Mr. Darcy himself graced a time or two, and, of course, you must walk around the gardens. 

While you’re in Derbyshire, you can head over to Haddon Hall, as well. This is a perfectly preserved 12th-century manor house where the Lampton Inn scenes were filmed. The moment you step inside, you’ll instantly be transported back in time to the Middle Ages. It’s truly a feast for the eyes.

South Queensferry, Scotland

This is a tough one. Outlander fans really need a few days in Scotland to visit all the major sights where Claire and Jamie took their love. The one that will probably pull on your heartstrings the most is Midhope Castle, a.k.a. Lallybroch. 

While you can’t go inside because the property is derelict, the owner is gracious enough to let visitors drive up (with a pass). With the winds of fate blowing through your hair, you can walk through the archway that Jamie once passed through and right up to the front door. Your heart is guaranteed to melt as you walk a few steps in his shoes. 

If, instead, you’d like to see the castle that Claire and Frank toured on their second honeymoon before she was transported back in time and actually lived there for a while, you can head over to Doune Castle. This, too, will have a similarly haunting effect and take you right into the pages of the novel or the scenes of the television series. 

There’s so much more to see, however, if you’re an Outlander aficionado. The best way to do it is to book an Outlander Tour with Sassenach Historian Tours. The delightful Hailey Beaupre will take you to all these heart-tugging destinations and become an instant friend.