Culture & Travel
7 May 2025Some books leave a mark not only on the reader’s mind, but also carry with them the glow of a streetlight, the sound of a city, or the aroma of steaming coffee in a quiet café. And if they’ve also found their way into one of the most creative corners of social media—BookTok—the places where those stories unfold quickly take their place at the top of our travel bucket lists.
In this article, we follow the trail of eight remarkable books that have become even more prominent in recent years, partly thanks to BookTok, and have etched their settings into our memories. Inspired by these stories, we chart real-world destinations and pack literature into our suitcases as we set off on the road.
1. A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara / New York, SoHo
One of the most heartbreaking works of modern literature, A Little Life focuses on the friendship of four men that begins in their college years and follows the painful, traumatic, and loyalty-testing paths they take over time. It is a story not only of personal suffering but also of healing and solidarity. The novel’s setting, New York, becomes a kind of labyrinth—where characters grow their loneliness, lose themselves in the race for success, and sometimes find moments of solace.
Travel note: To capture the emotional essence of the book, stroll through the narrow streets of SoHo and sit on a bench in Washington Square Park to listen to that familiar silence. When you reflect on the novel’s emotional weight, the contrast between New York’s vibrant cosmopolitan energy and the characters’ deep isolation becomes all the more striking.
2. The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafón / Barcelona, Gothic Quarter
Set in 1940s Barcelona, the story begins with a young boy named Daniel, who discovers a mysterious novel in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. But the book holds a much darker and more dangerous past than he anticipates. As Daniel becomes increasingly entangled in the mystery, he finds himself investigating the life of its author and uncovering a series of deadly secrets.
Travel note: Barcelona, reshaped through Zafón’s lyrical language, becomes almost a character in itself—one that mirrors the novel’s haunting atmosphere. Foggy mornings, stone-paved streets, Gothic architecture, and abandoned courtyards deepen the sense of mystery. The Gothic Quarter still preserves the essence of the novel, with places like Portal del Ángel, Santa Maria del Mar Church, and Montjuïc Hill waiting to be rediscovered.
3. Normal People– Sally Rooney / Dublin, Trinity College
Written in Sally Rooney’s simple yet emotionally resonant style, Normal People tells the story of Marianne and Connell, whose complex relationship unfolds from their teenage years into adulthood. Focusing on love, class differences, communication gaps, and emotional growth, the novel offers a depth of feeling that will likely strike a familiar chord with many readers.
Dublin, more than just a backdrop, serves as a quiet witness to the characters’ inner transformations—reflecting their moments of closeness, distance, and silent turmoil throughout the story.
Travel note: You can stroll through the historic campus of Trinity College, visit its iconic library, and spend time in the cafés and streets that hosted some of the novel’s most intimate scenes.
4. Call Me by Your Name – André Aciman / Crema, Northern Italy
Call Me by Your Name is not merely a love story; it’s an atmospheric novel steeped in summer warmth, youthful excitement, and the lingering effect of fleeting emotions. The deep connection that develops between Elio and Oliver unfolds during a golden Italian summer, surrounded by stone houses, orange trees, and shaded garden paths.
As one of the finest examples of merging setting with emotion, the novel takes place in the town of Crema in Northern Italy.
Travel note: Wandering through the streets Elio once walked, pausing in the shade beside a stone house, and exploring the villages around Bergamo by bike allows you to relive the novel in the most tangible way.
5. Before the Coffee Gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi / Tokyo, Kagurazaka
A delicate gem of Japanese literature, Before the Coffee Gets Cold explores the theme of time travel with emotional subtlety and a minimalist touch. Set in a small café in Tokyo, where sitting in a specific chair allows one to revisit the past, the stories revolve around regrets, farewells, and quiet confrontations with the self.
Travel note: Take a walk through Kagurazaka, a Tokyo neighborhood known for its nostalgic charm, and sit in one of its quiet cafés. You might find yourself reshaping the novel’s narrative through the lens of your own sense of time.
6. Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Murakami / Takamatsu, Shikoku Island
Murakami’s masterful navigation between dream and reality reaches its peak in Kafka on the Shore. The novel follows Kafka Tamura on a journey of self-discovery, unfolding through a narrative where dreams, memory, and literature are deeply intertwined.
One of the book’s most significant settings, the Komura Library, serves not only as a haven for books but also as a refuge for the characters themselves.
Travel note: Visiting Takamatsu on Japan’s Shikoku Island and exploring the real-life inspiration for the Komura Library offers a way to immerse yourself in the novel’s heavy yet deeply moving tone. A quiet walk along the shoreline can make Murakami’s surreal atmosphere feel all the more real.
7. Madonna in a Fur Coat – Sabahattin Ali / Berlin, Charlottenburg
Sabahattin Ali’s timeless novel Madonna in a Fur Coat tells the story of Raif Efendi, an introverted man who experiences a profound yet quiet love during his time in Berlin. His relationship with Maria Puder unfolds through themes of art, solitude, and the longing for belonging. Berlin emerges as the central setting where this fragile romance begins—and ultimately fades.
Berlin in the 1920s was a hub of alienation, modernity, and inward reflection. Its galleries, cafés, and streetlamps form a stage that mirrors Raif’s internal world. Maria Puder’s independence and Raif’s self-contained nature create a poignant contrast that the city amplifies with its melancholic beauty.
Travel note: The old art galleries of Charlottenburg, Berlin’s classic cafés, and parks like Tiergarten offer a deeply emotional route for those wanting to trace Raif Efendi’s footsteps. As you wander through the streets of Berlin, don’t be surprised if you feel as though you’ve stepped into one of the novel’s pages.
8. Author of the Mosquito Bites – Barış Bıçakçı / Ankara, Cinnah Avenue
Penned by Barış Bıçakçı, this contemporary novel is one of the rare works that redefines Ankara through its poetic language and emotional depth. The unnamed narrator and his group of friends try to make sense of their solitude within a world woven from literature, music, and silence. In this story, Ankara is not merely a setting—it becomes a geography of emotion.
Travel note: Take a walk along Cinnah Avenue, sit on a bench in Kuğulu Park, and, like the characters in the novel, spend the day doing nothing but thinking. The quietness of Ankara reflects the novel’s subdued yet powerful energy.
In this article, we found inspiration not just in books, but also in the dreams etched within us and the sentences we carry in our memory. Now it’s your turn. Even if you don’t pack a suitcase, prepare a list: which literary city would you like to visit first?
